India, Dec. 10 -- Eleven Maoist commanders and cadres, carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs.82 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli on Wednesday in the presence of state police chief Rashmi Shukla under tight security. Four of the Maoists were armed and in uniform.

Maoist divisional committee members Ramesh alias Baju Lekami and Bhima alias Kiran Hidma Kowasi were among those who surrendered. Police said the surrender is a major blow to Maoists in Dandakaranya, spanning Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Telangana, and one of the biggest successes for Gadchiroli police since Bhupathi alias Mallojula Venugopal Rao, a Maoist Politburo member, surrendered before chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on October 15, along with 60...