Chatra, Oct 17 : Two senior Maoist leaders of the banned outfit Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) surrendered before the authorities in Chatra district in Jharkhand on Friday, officials said.

The two surrendered Maoists, identified as Kunal alias Kuldeep and Rohini Ganjhu, were both area commanders of the TSPC and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads.

Following their surrender, the police handed over cheques of the reward amount to them as per the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy.

The surrender took place in the meeting hall of the Deputy Commissioner's office, in the presence of Bokaro Range IG Sunil Bhaskar, Deputy Commissioner Kirti, Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar Agarwal, BSF's Manvendra Kumar Singh, and SSB Commandant Sanjeev Kumar.

During the surrender, the Maoists handed over an SLR rifle, a semi-automatic rifle, and around 200 rounds of live ammunition to the police.

According to officials, Kunal has 16 criminal cases registered against him in Chatra and Palamu districts, while Ganjhu is wanted in more than 10 serious cases, including attacks on security forces and extortion.

SP Agarwal said that both Maoists were persuaded to surrender after continuous dialogue and counselling by the district police and intelligence teams. He said Maoist cadres are steadily losing ground in the region.

The Jharkhand government has launched a special rehabilitation policy called "Nayi Dishayen" for surrendered Maoists. Under this policy, those who lay down arms are kept in open prisons, provided legal aid, financial assistance, and skill development support, and their children's education is arranged by the government.

According to official data, from January to September this year, the state police have arrested 266 Maoists, while 30 have surrendered and returned to the mainstream. In the same period, 32 Maoists have been killed in encounters across Jharkhand, reflecting the impact of intensified anti-insurgency operations.

/IANS