Bhubaneswar, May 27 -- A notorious and hardcore Maoist, Vijaya Punem, who carried a cash reward of Rs.4 lakh announced by the Odisha government, surrendered before the Superintendent of Police, Rayagada, on Tuesday.
Vijaya, a resident of the Husur police station area in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, was associated with the Ghoomsar Area Committee of the Bhavnathdhara-Ghoomsar-Nagabali (BGN) Division.
He had been involved in several encounters between Maoists and security forces in Odisha's Kandhamal district as well as various parts of Chhattisgarh. With more than seven criminal cases registered against him, he surrendered along with a pistol and eight rounds of ammunition.
Vijaya was directly involved in gunfights with security forc...