An engineer and a supervisor of a private road construction company were abducted in Bihar's Sasaram district by armed criminals for ransom, police said on Wednesday.

The engineer and supervisor were employees of Vijeta construction company and were abducted at gunpoint by criminals for ransom.

Vijeta construction company is Ranchi-based and is engaged in road construction in rural Sasaram.

According to police sources, the company recieved a ransom call from abductors for their safe release.

"The abductors demanded ransom for the release of an abducted engineer and supervisor," police sources said.

The police have launched an operation to recue them.

Various highway projects in Bihar have been in jeopardy over the last several months with extortionists demanding money from contractors for allowing work to proceed.

Last year, two engineers of a private construction company were gunned down and seven others wounded at Rahta village in Madhepura district for their refusal to pay an extortion of Rs 1 crore to the Buchan Yadav gang.