Reported by Chinmaya Dehury
Bhubaneswar, July 19:

The pictures of top Odisha Maoist Sabyasachi Panda after his arrest in Berhampur late on Friday night has gone viral on the social media.

Sabyasachi after his arrest Sabyasachi after his arrest

It was the first time Sabyasachi was photographed by the outside world. Earlier, all that one had by way of his photograph were one or two old, grainy, fraying and possibly morphed pictures of him taken long back.

During his intermittent interactions with select media persons in his forest hideouts, Panda would steadfastly refuse to be photographed.

No wonder his latest photographs showing his clean shaven visage taken after his arrest and posted on social media are being shared with a vengeance.

It is going the way doctored photos purporting to show Osama bin Laden's corpse rocketed around the world on television, online via social media and in print almost as soon as his death was announced in 2011.

Panda might be a Maoist and killed several persons, but the curiosity to see his photo among people was obvious. It is to be noted that hundreds of people had gathered at the house in Berhampur, where he was arrested by police personnel.

While comments are pouring over the news and photographs shared in the social media, different people are linking him to different persons and different events.

While some people have described him as the Naxal aide of Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader Kejriwal’s agent, some have suggested that he may join the ruling BJD as it is a pre-nogotiated arrest while still others claimed that Panda was arrested following the tough stand of the Narendra Modi government.

Here is a sample of who said what on Twitter:

गीतिका ‏@ggiittiikkaa

Wondering why Media is calling him "Most wanted Maoist Sabyasachi Panda", and not "Naxal aide of Kejriwal" , "Maoist AAP leader" etc?

Naveen Patnaik ‏@NoBinPotNayak

No! Sabyasachi Panda won't be joining BJD. There is no dearth of krantikari parties for him in India/Odisha

Sabyasachi after his arrest Sabyasachi after his arrest

Debashis Tripathy ‏@deba1602

@NoBinPotNayak You are not declaring Sabyasachi Panda an asset? So non-krantikari of you, sir! He must have few secular bones missing!

BJP Odisha ‏@BJPOdisha

Thanks @HMOIndia for the tough stand taken on Maoist which resulted in capture of dreaded Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda in Odisha.

Arvind Padhee ‏@arvindpadhee

Hope, othrs in d red corridor join d mainstream for dev.

Amrit Panigrahy ‏@panigrahy_amrit

And finally, they have managed to arrest the illusive (sic) Sabyasachi Panda, dreaded Maoist ring master from Odisha. Acche din aa gaye!

ashoka..!! ‏@shockb4u

Shameless AAP welcomes dreaded Maoist Sabyasachi Panda into its ranks

Why is Kejriwal silent on the arrest of Sabyasachi Panda?Is he happy or sad? The nation wants to know.#fraudkejriwal

Here is a sampling of comments on popular social media platform Facebook:

Ashok Sahu (senior BJP leader)

He should be thoroughly interrogated by IB, Andhra Police, Chhatisgarh Police and Odisha Police. He will pose innocence and try to escape trial and punishment as per desire of CM. The investigation of all these cases should be handed over to NIA,

Rama Krushna Panda (CPI leader)

There is a campaign as if he was a criminal/ murderer and arrest of a violent leader like him will halt the movement. In this context very few people are talking what are the circumstances compels young educated people like him to leave the democratic path of struggle, very few people talk about the state violence on common men particularly on tribals/Dalit, how state is snatching their lively hood,how state torture them to snatch their JALA/JAMI/JUNGLE. I never believed in his politics or in his path of struggle. I strongly believe in the democratic path of struggle. But at the same time I strongly believe only the arrest or surrender of any leader like him won't help much to stop the movement. the Left extremist’s issue should be dealt with a socio-economic perspective which needs a political solution.

Sagar Satapathy

The visual of Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda does not give the impression that he was arrested in a high-profile midnight operation. Seems he is trying to control his smile.

Vijaya Singh

I think he was tired living in the jungle so he decided aaram sey zindagi high profile jail mein spend then join politics openly