Bhubaneswar, July 21: Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda, who shot into limelight for abducting two Italians in Odisha, today scotched rumours related to his possible surrender.

“This is a rumour being spread by a section of people,” Panda said in an audio tape sent to media houses today.

In the tape, Panda, who is said to have revolted against the CPI (Maoist) party, introduced himself as secretary of the Odisha Maovadi (Maoist) Party and not as secretary of the Odisha State Organising Committee of the CPI (Maoist), a position he had been holding for five years.

It could not be immediately ascertained whether the Odisha Maovadi Party is an independent outfit or has the sanction of the Maoist central leadership. Panda currently has an uneasy relationship with the powerful Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of the Maoist party.