Ranchi, Oct 2 :There was still no trace Friday of the intelligence official abducted by the Maoist rebels in Jharkhand two days back despite a massive operation launched by the local police to rescue him.

Police Inspector Francis Indwar, posted in Special Branch of the state Intelligence department, was abducted by eight to 10 armed rebels from Hembrum market under Arki police station of Khuti district, around 65 km from Ranchi Wednesday evening, while he was trying to collect information about Maoists.

"A massive combing operation has been launched to rescue Indwar," Khuti Superintendent of Police Jatin Narwal told IANS.

According to police sources, a joint operation of police of three districts has been launched to rescue Indwar. Police also conducted raids in Bokaro district and at other places.

Police suspect that the group headed by Kundan Pahan, the zonal commander of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), is involved in the abduction. The group is active in Ranchi, Khuti and Jamshedpur.

Maoist guerrillas are active in 18 of the 24 districts of Jharkhand. Nearly 1,550 people have been killed in Maoist-related violence in the last eight years.(IANS)