Raipur (PTI): Maoists on Friday released all the eight officials and employees they had abducted from Durg district of Chhattisgarh.

The eight officials of the Chhattisgarh government and the SAIL unit--Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), who were kidnapped yesterday, were freed unharmed, Durg District Superintendent of Police Dinapshu Kabra said.

Armed Maoists had looted 1.7 tonnes of explosives and blasting material yesterday from the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) Mahamaya iron ore mine, about 160 km from the state capital, Kabra said.

Besides the truck load of explosives, the Maoists had also taken another pick up van from the mines, located in Dalli Rajhara area, close to Bastar region of the state, he said.

The kidnapped were-- Rajbir Singh, SDO (Forest) Bhanupratapur, BSP Mines Manager Srikant, Assistant Mines Manager D Salam and five other BSP employees, the SP said.

Meanwhile, the Maoists have called for `Dandakaranya' (Chhattisgarh bandh) on March 31 to protest killing of 17 of their cadres in Bastar area on March 18 by the Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh police in a joint operation.

The Maoists had also called for Telengana bandh on Wednesday.