The government on Tuesday stated that the driver of the New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express and his assistant, kidnapped by Maoists between Jhargram and Sarna stations of the South Eastern Railway this afternoon, have been released.

Home minister P Chidambaram today said the train and passengers on board were safe and that the Centre has rushed a relief train to bring back the passengers. “The train is safe. All passengers are safe… good news is the train is safe,” he told reporters. “CRPF and state police have reached the spot and the area has been secured. There is no sign of any other adversary there,” Chidambaram said.

He also refuted reports that there was an exchange of fire between security forces and suspected Maoists. “There was firing and a civilian driver was injured but there was no injury to CRPF personnel and there was no exchange of fire,” Chidambaram said. He said the Centre has rushed a relief train to Orissa with doctors and relief supplies. The home minister said the train will bring back the passengers on the Rajdhani Express.