Bhubaneswar, June 7: Director general of Central Reserve Police Force, K Vijay Kumar, today said increasing surrenders of Maoists was a “positive sign”.

“Increase in number of surrenders indicates the state of mind of rebels and the maturity of administration,” Kumar told reporters after his meeting with chief minister, Naveen Patnaik here today.

“Surrender leads to good things. This is a good development,” said the CRPF chief.

Recently, Duna Keshav Rao alias Azad, one of the most elusive Maoist leaders operating in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, surrendered before the Andhra Pradesh police chief in Hyderabad on May 18.

Azad, who was carrying a reward of Rs10lakh on his head and a key member of the CPI (Maoist) Orissa-Andhra Pradesh state committee, was an accused in the murder of VHP leader, Swami Laxmananand Saraswati at Jalaspeta ashram in Kandhmal district in August 2008. He had also taken a leading role in two major Maoist operations in Nayagarh in February 2008 and R Udaygiri in March 2006. Prior to his surrender, Puspa, wife of another top Maoist leader, Ghasi, had also surrendered before Orissa police on April 28.

Besides Azad, several Maoist cadres have surrendered in Rayagada, Gajapati and Keonjhar districts in the recent past. The CRPF chief also said that the naxal violence was under control. “Things are much better than the previous year. However, in the southern part of the region like Bastar and Dantewada, we need to address it more vigorously,” he said.