Bhubaneswar: Maoist Kunu Dehury, who is carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on his head, on Friday surrendered before Sambalpur police. Dehury, who was leading the Maoist activities in Sambalpur, Deogarh and Sundergarh, was involved some 51 cases.

Addressing the media, director general of police R.P. Sharma said that Dehury had joined the Maoist Communist Centre of India in 2002 and subsequently he was elevated to the rank of divisional committee secretary in Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2015. "Over the years he had established himself as a leader spearheading Naxal activities in the three districts and adjoining areas. He was involved in 42 cases in Sambalpur, five in Rourkela and four in Deogarh district," said Sharma.

Sharma further said that the state police had been tracking his movement in the three districts for quite sometime.

"Dehury surrendered primarily due to loss of faith in the ideology of the Maoists and also in view of the continued counter-Naxal operations by the security forces in the area. He will be treated following the surrender policy of the state government and the screening committee and rehabilitation committee at the district level will decide the benefits he is entitled to. The benefits, with the cadre of his level, include a cash reward of Rs 2.5 lakh, provision of homestead land and also money for house construction," added Sharma.

Sharma also congratulated the Special Operation Group and District Voluntary Force of the three divisions. "Dehury had to surrender due to continuous efforts of the SOG and the DVF. He will be further examined to find out details of his activities and I am hopeful that the Maoist activities in these divisions will weaken further," said Sharma.

Enthused by Dehury's surrender, security forces are likely to step up pressure on the Maoists operating in both west and south Odisha. "Intensified operations would either force the rebels to surrender or shift their base out of the state," said an officer.