Gadchiroli, 20 May 

Police in eastern Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Tuesday arrested three women Naxalites and detained two minors who collectively carried a reward of Rs 36 lakh on their heads, officials said.

The district police had received intelligence about 50 to 60 Naxalites gathering in Binagunda Mauza in Bhamragadh area with a plan to attack police personnel, said a release issued by Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.

Seven squads of C-60 commandos -- a special anti-Naxalite unit of the district police -- and a squad of CRPF battalion no 37 were sent to the area on Sunday. The C-60 commandos cordoned off Binagunda village on Monday and detained five Naxalites with weapons, it said.

Of the three arrested women, Ungi Hoyam , 27, a divisional committee member in `platoon 32' of the Maoists, was carrying a reward of Rs 16 lakh on her head.

Pallavi Midayam, 19, working as `platoon party committee member' was carrying a reward Rs 8 lakh on her head, while Deve Podiyam, 19, was carrying a reward of Rs 4 lakh. All three hail from Chhattisgarh.

The other two Naxalites -- a male and a female -- are suspected to be minors and carried a collective reward of Rs 8 lakh. They were detained and would be produced before the juvenile justice board.

A Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), .303 rifle, three single shot rifles, two Bharmar guns, three walkie-talkie sets and other items were seized from their possession.

Anti-Naxal operations will be intensified in the region, SP Neelotpal indicated.