Maoist guerrillas took control of a high-speed train in India's West Bengal state for a few hours, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in the middle of a jungle.
300 Maoists waving red flags blocked the tracks and stopped the New Delhi-bound train on Tuesday.
The rebels were demanding the release of some of their arrested regional leaders.
This sparked a fierce gunfight that left a policeman injured and two rebels dead.
Indian Home Minister Palaniappan Chidamabaram confirmed the drama ended five hours after the kidnapping.
"Central forces and state police have secured the train and there is no sign of any adversary in the area... All are safe."
The rebels have been fighting for more than three decades in several Indian states.
The guerrillas claim they are fighting for the rights of landless farmers and neglected tribesmen in the impoverished eastern and central states.
The rebels have killed thousands of people -- including police, militants and civilians - over the years.
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