The Orissa police on Wednesday breathed a sigh of relief following surrender of top Maoist leader Azad alias Keshava Rao before the Andhra Pradesh police. It now plans to bring Azad in remand for questioning in connection with at least fifty cases, including the sensational attack on Nayagarh police establishments and murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his disciples.
Azad carried a reward of `10 lakh on his head.
At least 13 police personnel were killed when over two hundred armed rebels led by Azad surrounded police establishments in Nayagarh town, nearly 90 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, on February 15, 2008.
They Maoists looted huge cache of arms and ammunition before fleeing the town.
On August 23, 2008, Azad and his associates shot dead Hindu seer Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at Jalespetta Ashram in Kandhamal district.