Bhubaneswar, July 12: A Maoist leader, who was high on the “wanted” list of the state police, today surrendered in Malkangiri district following alleged harassment by rebels from outside Odisha.

Sources said Deba Padiami, 30, who laid down arms before the Malkangiri police, was the area commander of Kalimela-Mottu Maoist Dalam for the past three years. He was wanted in several cases, including landmine explosions.

The development came amidst reports that the CPI(Maoist) Odisha organising secretary, Sabyasachi Panda, was also contemplating surrender.

Speculation in this regard has intensified following Panda’s wife Subhashree’s statement that her husband might give up arms if the Odisha government withdraws all cases against him. Panda was involved in the kidnapping of two Italian nationals in March.

Padiami, who hails from the Kalimela area of Malkangiri, decided to return to the mainstream as he was fed up with harassment and torture at the hands of Maoists, particularly those from Andhra Pradesh.

Police said Padiami would be rehabilitated in keeping with the policies framed by the government for surrendered Maoists. His surrender is the fourth by a rebel leader in the state in the past three months.

In May, Raiman Pangi alias Ramesh, a deputy commander of the Maoists, gave up arms, severing his 10-year link with the organisation.

A resident of Datunguda village under Chitrakonda police station of Malkangiri, Ramesh, too, had cited atrocities by the Andhra Pradesh rebel leaders as the reason for his surrender.

In the same month, Prashant Majhi alias Susanta, the bodyguard of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda, laid down arms before the Gajapati police, sparking off speculation about the possible surrender of his boss.

However, Panda continues to be elusive.

In April, a woman Maoist, Nirmala, surrendered to the Malkangiri police as she was unable to bear the hardships of life as a rebel.