Hyderabad: Three armed men, members of a newly formed group that allegedly engaged in extortions, were today arrested from Telangana’s Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, police said.

During a combing operation, a police party spotted a group of persons with arms holding a meeting at around 7 AM near a forested area of the district.

On seeing the police, they tried to flee, but the cops chased them and arrested three of the armed members of the group, Assistant Superintendent of Police (Eturnagaram) Rahul Hegde B K told a news agency over phone.

The trio was identified as D Yakaiah, Dara Ashok and K Narsinga Rao.

On further interrogation it was revealed that on July 24, a new group, called CPI (ML) Chandra Pullareddy Bata, was formed with 12 members under the leadership of K Rajana and B Narasimhulu, the ASP said.

This group has been active in four districts – Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mahabubabad, Kothagudem and Khammam – where its members engaged in extorting money from business people and settling land disputes, among other anti-social activities, Hegde said.

The police recovered one rifle, two grenades, several rounds of ammunition of SLR, empty magazines, six kitbags and seven cellphones, among other items, from the trio, he added.

Efforts are on to nab the remaining members of the group, the ASP said