Odisha's most wanted Maoist leader, Sabyasachi Panda has been arrested from Berhampur in Ganjam district of the state.

Sabyasachi Panda was wanted in 61 criminal cases, including the murder of Swami Laxamananda Saraswati and four of his aides in Kandhamal district in 2008 that had triggered violence in the region.

He was also involved in the abduction of two Italian tourists in 2012. Panda is the top commander for armed Naxal groups operating the state and his involvement has also been detected in operations outside the state like in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

The Director General of Odisha police Sanjeeb Marik, told AIR at Bhubaneswar that Panda has been arrested during combing operation by security forces late last evening.

He said Panda was arrested after the security personnel raided a hideout after receiving intelligence inputs about his movement.

Our correspondent reports that the top Maoist leader and Odisha's most wanted man Sabyasachi Panda has been arrested in Berhampur in Ganjam district of Odisha. He had been on the run for over a decade.

Panda faces charges of murder of 25 security personnel and 34 civilians, including that of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati and his four disciples in Kandhamal in 2008.

He had also abducted two Italian tourists in 2012. Panda gave up his career in politics to realise the dream of revolution.

The former secretary of the Odisha unit of the outlawed CPI-Maoist, Panda had reportedly fallen out with the top Maoist leaders in the last few years.

He had formed his own outfit Odisha Maobadi Party in 2011. He carried a high reward on his head by the Odisha government.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has congratulated all police personnel particularly the intelligence wing who participated in the operation.