Jipro Habika, 30, a Maoist carrying an award of ₹4 lakh on his head surrendered before the Malkangiri Superintendent of Police (SP) Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo on Wednesday.
Mr. Habika was involved in the murder of TDP MLA Kidari Sarveswar Rao and former MLA of the same party Siveri Soma in 2018 in Visakhapatnam. As per police records, he was involved in several incidents of violence, including murders, arson and exchanges of fire with security forces.
On the night of January 25, Mr. Habika was among some armed Maoists who had reached Janturai village of Swabhiman Anchal to force tribals to oppose the construction of a road.
While one Maoist was killed in the retaliatory attack by villagers, Habika was injured and rescued by the police.
However, on January, when the Maoists torched over ten houses at Jodamba village of Swabhiman Anchal, Habika said he realised that the Maoists are torturing poor tribals for their own gains and decided to return to a life of normalcy, said the SP.
Mr. Habika will get monetary assistance for housing, education and vocational training, as per the Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy of the Odisha government, the SP said.
Habika hails from Khajaguda village of Koraput district. He had joined the outlawed Maoist organisation in 2012.
