Ranchi: The on-duty station master and points man of Hendegir station under East Central Division who were abducted by a suspected Maoist group late Saturday night were released on Sunday morning after the alleged kidnappers let them go with a warning for early payment of pending levy dues.According to information, station manager Rajiv Kumar and points man Santosh were kidnapped by six unidentified persons from Hendegir station on gun point while they were coming out of the panel room at the station at around 12.45am. They were later on let free near Hurhuri village in Ratu block in Ranchi district, around 50km from the place of incident.Recounting the ordeal, the station manager said, “I along with my points man were returning back from panel room after giving signal to Varanasi-Sambalpur express. Six unidentified persons suddenly approached us with guns threatening to follow their orders. They also claimed to have planted bombs near platform number 1 and line number 3.”The kidnappers then snatched their cell phones and took them towards a jungle. “We were mae to walk with eyes tied with cloths for around ninety minutes. They released my points man first. They drove me for around another hour at isolated place before releasing me. Later, I discovered it was Hurhuri village in Ratu block,” he said, adding that he then took lift from a tractor till Kathitand in Ranchi. “On approaching a PCR van there, they took me to Ratu police station, who later sent me home in police protection.”He rued of getting another threatening call on Sunday evening.“Again at around 7 PM, I was threatened over phone for levy amount. They were claiming they haven’t been paid since September. I don’t know anything about it,” he said.Railway staffs at Hendegir station located on Central Industrial Core section of east central division said that they continue to live under constant fear. “We do not have a single GRP personnel or any kind of security at the station and we continue to do our job 24/7 under constant fear,” said another railway staff on condition of anonymity.Police have begun the probe stating that prima facie the incident looks true as the joint team of Ranchi and Hazaribagh police sent a team to diffuse the bombs near the tracks at Hendegir railway station falling under Keredari police station. Keredari PS officer in-charge Bambam Kumar said: “Raids were on to nab the kidnappers.”Chief public relation officer of East Central railway Rajesh Kumar promised to have a relook at security of the said railway station (Hendegir). “We will soon deploy proper security personnel in plain clothes at such stations which fall under Left wing extremism areas,” he said.Principal Chief Security Commissioner of ECR, Ravindra Verma rued manpower issues. “It is not possible to deploy security personnel at all stations. Usually, security deployment is on the basis of security threat and this said station never witnessed any incident like this.”Ends

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