Kolkata, July 24 - A police official was abducted by a group of suspected Maoists Friday evening in the troubled Lalgarh region of West Bengal, following which a gun battle ensued between the rebels and security personnel, police said.

'We came to know that a policeman was abducted by a group of Maoists in Lalgarh-Ramgarh region. We have sent our forces to rescue him,' said state Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh.

'A gun battle is now on between the security forces and the Maoists,' he added.

According to police sources, a group of Maoists abducted an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) rank official and a constable while they were passing through that area in a car. Later, the Maoists released the constable but took the officer into the forest.

The abduction took place at Pirakhali near Binpur block - a Maoist-dominated territory in West Midnapore district.

'As of now, we've not received enough information about the incident. But our operation is on in that area,' said a senior official of the central paramilitary forces manning the troubled area for the past one month.