Three of the five Maoists, detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and lodged in the Central Jail here, today observed fast in protest against the killing two Maoists near Nilambur in Kerala a week ago.

According to jail sources, the three – Roopesh, Anoop and Veeramani – refused to take breakfast and lunch in protest against the killings, which they claimed as a ‘planned encounter’.

However, two others– Shyna wife of Roopesh and Kannan, who were arrested some 18 months ago from Karumathampatti on the outskirts, did not join them in the hunger strike, they said.