Bhubaneswar: A wanted Maoist leader allegedly killed his commander, Anwesh, who was carrying a reward of Rs 22 lakh on his head, for intending to surrender before the Odisha Police, a senior officer said on Wednesday.
The police in Kandhamal district on Wednesday exhumed the decomposed body of Anwesh, alias Renu, at Pakari reserve forest area under Daringbadi police station limit.
He was allegedly killed by notorious Maoist leader Sukru, the most wanted red rebel in the state, on January 29.
“It has been ascertained that Anwesh was killed by Sukru and his associates when the former was preparing to surrender before the Odisha police along with some other Maoist cadre,” Kandhamal SP Harish BC told PTI over the phone.
Anwesh, a native of Sukma in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, was a divisional committee member (DVCM) and military platoon commander of the KKBN (Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh) Division, and he carried a bounty of Rs 22 lakh on his head, police said.
The SP said that the body was exhumed following strict legal protocols in the presence of the executive magistrate and has been shifted to MKCG Medical College & Hospital in Berhampur for post-mortem examination and forensic analysis.
“Answesh’s move to surrender was opposed by the leadership. The murder is believed to have been executed by SZCM (State Zonal Committee Member) Sukru, with the assistance of DVCM Sila and ACM (area committee member) Jagesh,” police said.
Jagesh was neutralised in an exchange of fire with security forces on February 22 in the Nandabali Reserve Forest area in Kandhamal district.
The SP said a formal case has been registered at Daringbadi police station over the killing of Anwesh.
He said the Kandhamal Police are currently in communication with the deceased’s family members in Chhattisgarh to facilitate the necessary legal formalities and the handing over of the body.
“We have issued a phone number for the distracted youths who are still in the Maoist outfit. We appeal to them to surrender and take benefits of the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation scheme,” the SP said.
Top officials engaged in anti-naxal operation in Odisha said that the incident exposes the internal conflicts within Maoist groups over surrender before police before March 31, 2026.
It is also suspected that Sukru and his associates eliminated Answesh in trying to instill fear among those contemplating surrender.
