The trio - Muthukumar, Sathya alias Kandasamy and Manikandan - reportedly attacked Vellithiruppur police station near Erode in December last along with the forest brigand, sources told The Indian Express. The team recovered a revolver, which the trio took away from the police station, a pistol and about 20 bullets from them. The sources said the three were held following a tip-off from a faction of the Veerappan gang which was against Kandasamy.

Sources said the police team came across a letter purportedly written by one Andril to his leader stating that Kandasamy had attacked him. Based on the letter and the tip-off given by the rivals in the Veerappan gang, the police team apprehended Kandasamy and two others.

A feud was on in the Veerappan gang between one Maran and Kandasamy who were equally close to the sandalwood smuggler. Thesources said Maran was one of the left-wing extremists from Southern districts who had joined the Veerappan gang.

It was only after the left-wing extremists joined the Veerappan group, did the sandalwood smuggler start attacking police stations. Earlier, he confined himself to attacking the Karnataka policemen and the forest officers.

Sources said the police team had also obtained a vital clue about Veerappan and his whereabouts. Meanwhile, the police has identified the body of a man, close to Veerappan, found at Satyamangalam recently. The sources said the deceased, Rangasamy, also a close associate of Veerappan, was reportedly shot dead by the forest brigand after he came to know that Rangasamy had illicit relationship with women.