The question papers of the railway recruitment test for engineers and technical personnel were found to have leaked on Friday, forcing the cancellation of the examination scheduled for December 5.

The incident came to light when Uttar Pradesh police arrested near the Harduttpur railway station a group of 24 students from Bihar, who were on their way to Varanasi from adjoining Mirzapur district allegedly with the leaked papers, Rohania station house officer K D Mishra said. He said the arrest was effected following a tip-off.

The students had purchased the question papers of tests for selection of railway goods guard for Rs 5,000 each from members of a recruitment racket at Patedha village in Manihan forests in Mirzapur district, a naxalite-infested region, he said.

None of the gang members responsible for leaking the question papers has been arrested so far, Mishra said. He said a manhunt has been launched to nab them on the basis of the information provided by the students.

Meanwhile, a railway ministry spokesman in New Delhi said that the examination stands cancelled and the new date for the test will be announced later.