Ranchi, July 15 Ranchi police have recovered a consignment of communication equipment meant for Maoists.

The consignment was sent as cargo from New Delhi on a state-run domestic flight.

The recovered equipment included walkie-talkies, a number of radio sets, micro tape recorders and signal receivers, among others.

Police have detained three people and are interrogating them. They have also arrested one person from Palamu district. He will be brought to Ranchi later on Wednesday for further interrogation.

"They were unaware of what was in it. These three reached there to receive the consignment on behalf of Naresh Sharma. We arrested Naresh Sharma at Palamu," said Praveen Kumar, senior superintendent of police, Ranchi.

At least 36 policemen were ambushed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh on Sunday.

The Maoists have recently stepped up attacks against police, officials and civilians away from remote rural areas and closer to towns and cities across India.

Hundreds of Maoists, who are expanding their influence in India, had declared the town of Lalgarh about 170 km from Kolkata, as a "liberated zone" recently before they fled in face of police action.

Maoists, who say they are fighting for the rights of poor farmers and landless labourers, are expanding their influence in east, central and southern India. (ANI)