The three were identified as Mukesh Singh (20), Kissan Mahato (19) of Hutupani village under Talsara Police station and Kalesswar Nayak (20) of Simdega, Jharkhand, they said.
Identifying themselves as members of "Pahadi Cheetah" gang, the accused had been making phone calls to Lalit Singh, a businessman in Talsara area, since August 31 and demanding Rs five lakh, D N Gochayat, SP Sundergarh said.
After Singh lodged a complaint, police started tracking the phone and zeroed on the trio. On the night September 4, police first arrested Mukesh Singh and later the two others were nabbed.