The minor boys who were abducted from Erora village of Chhatarpur were today rescued safely. The police heaved a sigh of relief as all the nine victims including six minors were recovered from the forests at Amarpura.

The boys had been taken away at gunpoint in Chhatarpur two days ago. The gang members involved in the abduction are yet to be arrested, though police claimed that they had a brief exchange of fire with abductors today during the search operations in the jungle.

Police sources said that the gang left the minors. Several rounds were fired by police in the air. All the boys were then brought out of the jungle and later in the day, reunited with their families.

Talking to media, the children said that after abducting them Pramod had told them that if the ransom were not paid, he would kill them. The families of some of the victims had received ransom calls. “We were made to walk 30-40 km in the jungle.

Today when police surrounded, he and his companion threatened us to run with them so we ran behind and stopped when police told us”, said one of the boys.

A strong police posse was conducting combing operations in the jungles.

Superintendent of Police (SP) A Shiyas said that during combing operations, information was found about the movement of some persons in Nandgwah. The abductors were seen with the minors near agricultural fields beside a nullah.

As the abductors saw police they fired and the police returned fire cautiously, then the abductors began running towards jungle and the children followed. The police then stopped these children by shouting.

The police are still searching nearby jungle and have cordoned off the jungle in order to apprehend the abductors. Bhopal: West Central Railway on Friday announced four special trains for Allahabad Kumbh Fair passengers from Itarsi and Bina of Bhopal division to Naini.