A Maoist leader allegedly murdered his commander to stop him from surrendering to Odisha police, exposing deep rifts within the Naxal group.
The police in Kandhamal district on Wednesday exhumed the decomposed body of Anwesh, alias Renu, at Pakari reserve forest area under Daringbadi police station limits.
He was allegedly killed by notorious Naxal leader Sukru on January 29.
"It has been ascertained that Anwesh was killed by Sukru and his associates when the former was preparing to surrender before the Odisha police along with some other Maoist cadre," Kandhamal SP Harish BC told PTI over phone.
Anwesh, a native of Sukma in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, was a divisional committee member (DVCM) and military platoon commander of the KKBN (Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh) Division, and he carried a bounty of Rs 22 lakh on his head, the police said.
The SP said the body was exhumed following strict legal protocols in the presence of the executive magistrate.
"Answesh's move to surrender was opposed by the leadership. The murder is believed to have been executed by SZCM (State Zonal Committee Member) Sukru, with the assistance of DVCM Sila and ACM (area committee member) Jagesh," he said.
Jagesh was neutralised in an exchange of fire with security forces on February 22 in the Nandabali Reserve Forest area in Kandhamal district.
Top officials engaged in anti-naxal operations in Odisha said that the incident exposes the internal conflicts within Maoist groups over surrendering before the police.