Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati's killer Maoist Sabyasachi Panda held from Berhampur

In a major achievement for the Odisha Police, top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda wanted in 61 criminal cases, was arrested late on Thursday from Brahmapur.

This prompted Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to again appeal to the Maoists to eschew violence and join the mainstream. "The most wanted Maoist Sabyasachi Panda was arrested from Brahmapur. The arrest of Panda, who carried high reward on his head, is a big achievement for the Odisha Police," Patnaik said on Friday.

Panda was active in the Maoist movement for more than two decades, the Chief Minister said, adding that he was the guiding spirit behind formation of the Chasi Mulia Samiti and Kui Lawenga Sangh in 1995 in Rayagada and Gajapati districts.

Stating that these organisations were the foundation for spreading Maoist network in those areas, Patnaik said Panda was the founder of the Bansadhara and Ghumusur Divisions of the Odisha State Committee (OSC) and secretary of the Odisha State Organising Committee (OSOC) of the CPI(Maoist) till 2012.

Panda was operating in southern Odisha including the districts of Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Nayagarh. Panda was involved in numerous sensational cases like the Nayagarh and R Udayagiri armoury loots, killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, abduction of two Italian nationals and blowing up of an ambulance in Kandhamal, besides his overall involvement in killing of 25 security personnel and 34 civilians, the Chief Minister said.

According to information from Brahmapur, due to rains in the forests and non-cooperation of nearby villagers to provide shelter to Panda apprehending police action coupled with lack of fund the Maoist leader was forced to hide in Brahmapur.

Taking intelligence input and on a tip-off, the enthusiastic Brahmapur Police-led by SP Anirudha Singh swung into action and succeeded in arresting Panda from Desibehera Street under the Badabazar Police station. While some speculated that Panda might have surrendered to the police, others considered his arrest as a great success for the police.