Orissa Maoist who helped abduct BJD MLA ‘surrenders’

Inspector general of police (south-western range) Y K Jethwa said the police had persuaded Linga through intermediaries to surrender. “During negotiation, we had told him he would be produced before court as he has 33 non-bailable warrants pending against him,” said Jethwa. Of the 49 cases against him, Linga has been chargesheeted in 43.

Social activist Prafulla Samantara, however, claimed that Linga was arrested from Bhaliaput and police’s story of surrender is false. He urged the state government to withdraw “false” cases against Linga as he was not a member of any banned organisation.
In March this year, Linga was supposed to surrender in Narayanpatna block in presence of social activists, but he did not surface due to presence of police and paramilitary officials in large numbers.

Sources said that though Linga helped the Maoists in Hikaka’s abduction, differences between him and the rebels cropped up soon over his plans of joining electoral politics.

In March, the Srikakulam-Koraput Divisional Committee and Narayanpatna Anchalika Committee of the Maoists had publicly denounced him. The Maoists then had termed Nachika’s surrender move as “drama” that would serve his own interests at the cost of interests of the tribals. Maoists had also accused Linga of weakening the tribal agitation by joining hands with BJD.