Maoist leader Nagireddy Panduranga Reddy alias Sagar alias Pratap was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh police even as three Maoists were killed in an encounter on Wednesday evening.

Terming the arrest of the 45-year-old Sagar as a big blow to the Maoist movement, the police contended that he was taken into custody in Prakasam district though there were reports that he was actually picked up near Chennai by a joint team of the AP and Tamil Nadu police in the morning.

Working on vital clues, Special Intelligence Bureau (anti-Maoist intelligence wing) officials laid a trap and nabbed Sagar. Earlier, SIB officials had arrested two persons at Kandukur on Tuesday night and got the clues that led to the arrest of Sagar. He is likely to be produced in a court at Markapuram on Thursday.

The police said that Sagar masterminded many attacks including the landmine attack on then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu [Images] at Alipiri in October 2003, the recent landmine blast in Nellore district in which former chief minister N Janardhana Reddy had a miraculous escape and the attack on then Prakasam District Superintendent of Police Mahesh Chandra Ladda in Ongole town in 2005.

He was also behind the murder of China Rangaiah, brother of Congress MLA Pagadala Ramaiah and four other villagers in Ardaveedu in 2005 and the attack on Congress MLA U Srinivas Reddy at Kakarla in 2006. As many as 62 cases were booked against him in various districts so far.

Sagar was working as Nallamala Forest Division Committee secretary and CPI (Maoist) state committee member. A native of Lakshmipuram village in Ardhaveedu mandal in Prakasam district, Sagar worked as a tailor before joining the Maoist movement in 1992 inspired by the ballads of revolutionary singer Gaddar at Bestavaripet. He joined as a courier in the Tiger Project dalam (armed squad) and became its commander. He was later elevated as district committee secretary.

He had narrowly escaped many encounters. The police said that he was hiding in Chennai and Bangalore after the police intensified combing in Nallamala region following the killing of CPI (Maoist) State Secretary Madhav and central committee member Matta Ravi Kumar in encounters last year. He carried a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head.

Sagar's entire family was dedicated to the Maoist movement. His mother, Lakshmamma, was killed in an encounter with the police at J P Cheruvu in 2006. His elder sister Bhulakshmi, a dalam member in Nallamala region, was also eliminated in an encounter three years ago. His younger sister Ramulamma alias Padma is working as a platoon commander in Nallamala region. While his first wife was killed in an encounter, his second wife surrendered before the Kurnool police and is lodged at Nandyal sub-jail.

Meanwhile, three Maoists were killed in an encounter with the Greyhound (elite anti-Maoist) commandos in Ebukalammakonda forest under Mampa police station limits in Koyyur mandal in Visakhapatnam [Images] district on Wednesday evening. While combing the forest, the Greyhounds spotted a team of Maoists near a hillock and asked them to surrender. The Maoists opened fire and tried to escape. The police returned the fire. After the exchange of fire which lasted 20 minutes, the police found three male bodies, besides two double-barreled guns, kit bags and a few hand grenades.