Chhattisgarh: Maoist with ₹4 lakh bounty surrenders before Odisha Police

Bijaya Punem alias Ajay, a native of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, was an active member of the BGN (Bansadhara-Ghumsur-Nagabali) division of the Maoist group

Published on: May 27, 2025, 14:32:43 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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A Maoist commander from Chhattisgarh carrying a cash reward of ₹4 lakh, surrendered before the Odisha Police on Tuesday, police said.

Bijaya Punem alias Ajay joined the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit in 2009. (Sourced HT photo)

Bijaya Punem alias Ajay, a prominent area commander from Batigudem village in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, surrendered before the Rayagada superintendent of police (SP) Swathy S Kumar on Tuesday. Punem handed over to police a 9mm pistol and eight cartridges during his surrender.

“He surrendered due to rude and abnormal behaviour of leadership, frequent operations by security forces in their operating areas, insufficient food, water and cloth, tough terrain in Odisha, no recruitment and active support from public in and around their jurisdiction area,” said Rayagada SP Swathy S Kumar.

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According to statement released by the police, Punem joined the banned CPI (Maoist) in 2009 and underwent preliminary training after which he worked as personal security officer (PSO) to Maoist central committee member Modem Balakrishna alias Manoj between 2009 and 2010. He rose through the ranks, becoming an area commander in 2014.

Over the years, Punem operated in multiple districts, including Malkangiri, Koraput, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Boudh, Rayagada, and Kandhamal. In 2023, he was transferred to the Basdhara-Nagaval Division, serving in the Ghumsar area committee of Odisha from January 2024, the statement said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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