India, Jan. 19 -- Nine Maoist cadres, carrying a cumulative reward of Rs.45 lakh, surrendered before the Chhattisgarh police in Gariaband district on Monday.

The group, which included six women, belonged to the Sinapali and Sonabeda-Dharambandha-Kholibatar (SDK) area committees. Amresh Mishra, inspector general of police, Raipur Range, said they turned themselves in, citing disillusionment with Maoist ideology and the hardships of living in a forest.

Among those who surrendered were Anju alias Kavita (40), a divisional committee member and SDK area committee secretary; Baldev alias Wamanwatti, in-charge of the Sinapali area committee; Damru alias Mahadev (35), another divisional committee member; and Soni alias Budri (37), Sinapali area...