In Odisha, top Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda has been arrested.

The Director General of Odisha Police, Sanjeeb Marik, told AIR at Bhubaneswar that Panda has been arrested during a combing operation by security forces late last night near Berhampur in Ganjam district.

The most wanted Maoist of Odisha, Panda was also involved in the abduction of two Italian tourists in 2011. Earlier, he had given the slip to security personnel on a number of occasions.

A mathematics graduate Panda, parted ways with the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and formed a new ultra outfit called Odisha Maobadi Party in 2011.