Ranchi, March 20 (IANS) Maoist rebels abducted five government officials, including an additional judicial magistrate, at gun point from Latehar district in Jharkhand Saturday noon. The rebels, however, released all of them at Gumla after a few hours, police said.

Latehar Superintendent of Police Kuldip Dewadi said more than five armed Communist Party of India-Maoist rebels abducted the five government officials, including ADM Shrawan Soya, at gun point.

Rebels equipped with sophisticated weapons also abducted PWD officer H. Bhengra, assistant engineer Adish Sayru Ram, dairy officer Vinod Sinha and driver Kiran Singh from Bandhua village under Manika block of Lather district, the police official said.

'The kidnapping incident took place when the officials were on the move to inspect developmental works in the area,' Dewadi added. Four of the men, including the ADM, were released about three hours later. The PWD engineer was freed by the rebels a little later, Dewadi said.

This is the third such incident in as many days.

On Thursday night more than 15 Maoist rebels named 'Hill Panther' abducted four workers, including a junior engineer Ranjeet Kumar, working for Ram Rekha Dam at Simdega district and looted 35 mobile phones, Rs.2 lakh in cash and one gun from the site, said a police official.