Three Maoists were arrested with a country-made pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition at Tilma village, about 30km from the district headquarters under Maranhada police station of Khunti district, on Monday.

The place is around 50km from the state capital.

Among the ammunition recovered from them were AK-47 bullets, which imply that the rebels may have access to more lethal weapons.

The arrested rebels have been identified as Dharamveer Munda alias Demla Munda, Amarjit Munda and Karan Singh Munda. The trio, all in their 20s, used to operate between Maranhada and Arki police station areas of Khunti district.

Sources said the breakthrough came after police got a tip-off on the movement of Maoists at Timla village and swung into action.

“This time all precautions were taken to avoid a rerun of the tragedy that took place three days ago in Namkum where two constables of Jharkhand Jaguar lost their lives,” the police source said.

District superintendent of police Ashutosh Shekhar confirmed the development.

“The arrested Maoists were new recruits. Barring Dharamveer, who is wanted in several cases of murder, extortion and loot registered at various police stations of Khunti district, the others don’t have a criminal background. Dharmaveer had in July last year shot dead a villager called Soma Munda,” Shekhar said.

Khunti is the parliamentary constituency of Union tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda and is popular across the country as the birth place of tribal icon Birsa Munda.

“The presence of Maoists in the area is a cause for concern. The arrests will send a strong message to the rebels who are trying to create nuisance before the Assembly elections,” a cop said.