Ranchi: Active in West Singhbhum and Odisha, PLFI sub-zonal commander Akash Singh with aliases such as Baan, Kanhaiya and Kalesh, surrendered before Simdega SP Rajeev Ranjan Singh on Monday afternoon at the latter's office, 120km from the capital.

With roots in Simdega's Kolebira block, the 24-year-old carried a Rs 2-lakh reward on his head and was a named accused in 14 cases of PLFI violence in Jharkhand and six more in Odisha.

While surrendering, Akash told the media in Simdega that PLFI had become a "pocket organisation" of its supremo Dinesh Gope, second-in-command Gujju Gope and a handful of close aides. "The PLFI stopped getting new recruits as it has lost mass support," he said.

A youth from Baanpur village in Kolebira, Akash joined the PLFI in 2012 after his "bosom friend Ratan Gope in Kolebira was killed by Maoist rebels". Initially, he operated from Kolebira and Jaldega areas of Simdega and then shifted to West Singhbhum and adjoining Odisha. He added he was yet to avenge his friend's murder by Maoists. About 18 months ago, Akash married his girlfriend and now has a six-month-old baby.

Calling Akash's surrender the outcome of a mix of tough and soft policing, Simdega SP Singh said they mounted pressure on the rebel by moving court to attach his ancestral property and at the same time contacted his young wife and effected a dialogue between her and Akash's father Shravan Singh.

The police also convinced Akash's wife that their life would be safer if he surrendered and convinced Shravan to treat his son's wife and child well.

Akash agreed primarily for his child, a police source said. He was also scared after his three PLFI comrades died in a police encounter in Bano police station area of Simdega district on September 3.

Simdega SP Singh also urged PLFI bosses Dinesh Gope and Gujju Gope and their lieutenants to surrender at the earliest. "Or else, they will be either caught or killed," he said.