Three alleged Maoist women activists were arrested from Karur and Kancheepuram districts.

The Q branch police identified those arrested on Thursday as Reena Joyce Mary (32), Kala a.k.a Janaki (53) and Chandra (52).

Reena was a suspect in a 2008 encounter between the police and the Maoists at Kodaikanal. She was also one of the Maoists arrested in an operation at Uthangarai in 2002.

Sources said a police team traced Reena, who was found working in a textile factory at Padapai on Thursday evening. Based on the information given by her, another police team traced Kala and Chandra living in a rented house at Vengamedu in Karur district.

Police are trying to find out how long they were residing in Vengamedu and their links with the house owner in Karur.

The two women, who have been taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, are likely to be produced before a judicial magistrate today.