A group of armed ultras struck at village Padiguda in Kalimela area last night and took away labour contractors Lacha Padiami and Singa Kunjami and a college student, Ramesh Saldam, Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Singh said.
Though the Naxals took away the three at gun point into the dense forest nearby, Ramesh was later released by the red rebels who realised that he was only a college student and had nothing to do with engagement of labourers, police said.
However, Padiami and Kunjami were held hostage by the Maoists who alleged that many labourers sent by the two to work in Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were yet to get payment, they said.
Sources said the two could be released by the Maoist abductors only after the dues claimed by the labourers were cleared.