Hours before Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's visit to Midnapore on Saturday, three youths were shot dead by Maoists in Kusbani jungle in the district.

Bullet-riddled bodies of three youths - Lakhi Das, Jayram Mandi and Manoranjan - with their hands and legs tied in ropes were found in the road near Kusbani jungle, about 70 km from here, police sources said.

The Maoists had left behind posters near the bodies of the three claiming that the three were spies of the police and were agents of the ruling CPI(M) so they have been punished, they said.

The roads of Jhargram town have also been blocked by felling trees on the road, the sources said.

The Chief Minister is scheduled to arrive at Midnapore town at around 5.30 pm to hold meetings with the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia district to discuss the law and order situation besides welfare measures.

Around 600 central para military force personnel and around 4000 state policemen have been deployed in the district in view of the proposed visit of Bhattacharjee to Midnapore.