A senior Maoist commander involved in the killing of a former minister and the beheading of a police official surrendered in Ranchi, Jharkhand yesterday.
Kundan Pahan, who was a synonym for terror in three districts of Jharkhand, gave himself up in the presence of Additional Director General of Police R K Mallik and Central Reserve Police Force Inspector General Anand Latkar among others.
Kundan carried a reward of Rs1.5mn on his head, Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Dwivedi told reporters.
He was involved in the killing of former minister and then legislator Ramesh Singh Munda in 2008, the beheading of police inspector Francis Induwar and in the loot of Rs50mn from an ICICI cash van. A total of 128 cases were lodged against him in the state, said Dwivedi.
Kundan was notorious in Ranchi, Khuti and Seraikela-Kharswa districts. Ranchi and Jamshedpur districts were under his operational control.
On his orders, Special Branch Inspector Induwar was abducted from Khuti. He was then beheaded, triggering terror.
Kundan joined the Maoists in 1999 at the age of 16. He became a member of the Regional Committee in the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist in 2006. In 2012, he became secretary of the committee.
Speaking on the occasion, police officer Mallik said Maoists have an opportunity to surrender in 2017. “Otherwise they will face consequences in 2018.”
Jharkhand police have launched a new programme under which Maoists are encouraged to surrender. Till now, 107 Maoists have surrendered.
Maoist leader Kundan Pahan is seen with police after he surrendered in Ranchi yesterday.
