Police in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu say they have arrested three accomplices of India's most wanted bandit, Veerappan.

Bagyaraj, Balamurugan and Raja, alias Alexander, were arrested on Sunday by a taskforce set up more than a decade ago to trap Veerappan.

Veerappan: $416,000 reward on his head

Police said the men belonged to a Tamil Nationalist Group called the Tamil Liberation Front.

The men supplied arms and explosives to Veerappan and helped induce young men to join Veerappan's gang, police said.

Additional director of police, R Nataraj, said: ''A magistrate remanded them to 15 days in judicial custody. Their police records show clear links with Veerappan.

''A lot of explosives were recovered from them including gelignite sticks and detonators."

Gang reduced

Veerappan is said to have killed more than 100 men and poached 1,000 elephants in the forests on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

His latest abduction was former Karnataka minister H Nagappa, who was found dead after being held captive for 106 days.

Mr Nataraj said one of the three arrested men, Bagyaraj, was part of the gang that kidnapped Mr Nagappa.

''Bagyaraj was with Nagappa for about 80 days. He is sure to provide us vital information about Veerappan and his gang that may even lead to a major breakthrough in our hunt," Mr Nataraj said.

He said Veerappan could now be down to just three core members and about four helpers.

Since Mr Nagappa's murder, the Karnataka state government has doubled the price on Veerappan's head to two million rupees ($416,000).

Veerappan's most notorious kidnapping was of leading southern Indian film actor Rajkumar two years ago.

The actor was freed after 108 days in captivity.

The 51-year-old bandit has earned support and sympathy from some villagers, many of whom consider him an heroic figure.