PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Aug 26: Rumours were agog throughout the day on Thursday over the surrender of CPI- Maoist zonal commander Maharaja Pramanik, who carries a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh.
Pramanik who hails from Daruda village in Ichagarh block of adjoining Seraikela- Kharsawan district was wanted in several cases.
He has been evading arrest and on quite a few occasions escaped encounters.
Though Seraikela-Kharsawan police failed to confirm his surrender, unconfirmed reports suggest that he surrendered in Ichagarh this morning.
Reports also suggest that Pramanik was removed from the rebel group earlier this week on charges of leaking information to police top brass.
He had over 30 cases related to rebel-sponsored violence and Arms Act and was considered to be a terror in the forest cover of the Kolhan region especially the Seraikela-Kharsawan forest range.
Meanwhile, police and paramilitary forces were learnt to have intensified long-range patrolling in forest covers of Chandil and Seraikela.
The squad of Maharaja Pramanik was also active in Patamda, once a rebel hotbed.
Earlier, this month police and paramilitary forces got a major breakthrough by recovering landmines and other IED devices from Dalma which were meant to target policemen.
