Bhubaneswar: Jani Salem, the general secretary of the Mainpuri divisional committee of the outlawed Communist party of India (CPI-Maoist) and prime accused in the murder of Umarkote MLA Jagabandhu Majhi, has surrendered in Andhra Pradesh, police said today.
Nabrangpur superintendent of police Brijesh Kumar Ray said Salem surrendered before the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) headquarters at Hyderabad on January 31.
“A team will soon leave for Andhra Pradesh to question Maoist leader Jani Salem in connection with the murder case,” ADG (Crime Branch) BK Sharma told OTV here.
Majhi was allegedly gunned down by the Naxal leader on September 24, 2011 while the lawmaker was distributing land pattas among tribals in his constituency to beneficiaries under the Forest Rights Act.
In September last, the Crime Branch of Odisha Police which has been probing into the incident had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh each against two suspects including Salem for their alleged role in the crime.
The miscreants had shot at Majhi and his PSO Prasant Patra from point blank range at Gona Hatpada under Raighar block in Nawarangpur district.
The Odisha government had then ordered for a probe into the murder by the Crime Branch police.