India's left-wing Naxal rebels late Monday released six road construction laborers whom they had abducted in central state Jharkhand's Giridih district, police said Tuesday.

"Maoist guerrillas, facing pressure because of police operations, released the abducted laborers in a jungle area coming under the Bengabad police station. All the laborers are safe," a police official said.

The rebels had on Saturday night set two road-rollers and two tractors on fire near Giridih's Badbara village, around 190 km from Ranchi, the state capital of Jharkhand, taken six road construction laborers hostage.

Police suspect that refusal by the road construction firm to pay levies demanded by the rebels may have been the reason behind the attack and abductions.

The Naxal rebels are active in 18 of Jharkhand's 24 districts.