Gaya (Bihar), Sep 23 : At least three persons including a policeman were today killed in an attack by Naxalites in Bihar's Gaya District. The banned rebel group have called for a 24-hour shutdown to register their protest against the arrest of their top leader, Tushar Kant Bhattacharya, and his aide Brajmohan Ram.

According to official sources, the naxalites torched 13 trucks and two buses at places under Amas and Barachatti police stations.

When a Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) contingent comprising ex-servicemen reached the spot, an encounter began in which a policeman Shanker Singh was killed. The driver of a private bus, Kameswar Rai, and cleaner also died in the cross fire, they added.

In another incident, the Maoists have set on fire seven trucks at a place under Barachatti police station.

On Wednesday, Bhattacharya and his accomplice were arrested by a special task force in Dujra locality of Patna.

Bhattacharya belongs to Kagajnagar of Andhra Pradesh's Adliabad District and is an accused in a number of murder cases in his home state, Maharashtra, Uttarkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhatisgarh and Delhi.

He is also a member of the international forum of the Naxal's outfit.

The shutdown has been called in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. (With inputs from ANI)