Ranchi, Jan 4 (IANS): Eight prominent Maoists, including three women who were part of the CPI Maoist organisation led by Misir Besra, surrendered before the Jharkhand police on Wednesday.

The police has declared a reward of Rs 1 crore on Besra.

This marked a first in the last five years, where such a large number of Maoists surrendered together.

Jairam Bodra, Martam Angaria, Sarita Sardar, Tungir Purti, Patar Koda, Kusnu Sirka aka Kartik Sirka and others, surrendered at a programme organised by the state police.

Many cases have been registered against them in different police stations of Chaibasa, Jamshedpur, Seraikela-Kharsawan districts.

The Maoists alleged that rampant discrimination and exploitation existed within the organisation and it no longer followed any policy or principle.

They added that they could return to the mainstream through the state police's scheme called 'Operation Nai Disha'.

Jharkhand's IG Operation Amol V. Homkar, Zonal IG Pankaj Kamboj, Special Task Force IG Anup Birthare and Chaibasa SP Ashutosh Shekhar were present on the occasion.

Homkar said that the surrender policy of the state government had proved to be effective and gave the Maoists a chance for a new life, away from violence.

Earlier, 14 Maoists surrendered before the state police and security forces in 2022. The government had declared a reward on most of them.

Eleven Maoists were killed in police encounters in the state last year and 416 were arrested from different areas.