In the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, a group of 20 Naxals, among whom 11 have individual bounties amounting to Rs 33 lakh, have surrendered.

In a significant development, 66 Maoists surrendered across five districts in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, in July this year. The surrenders took place under the south Bastar region, with the specific district being Sukma, where 20 of these rebels laid down their arms.

Kiran Chavan, the Sukma district superintendent of police, confirmed the surrenders. Among those who surrendered in Sukma were Sharmila alias Uika Bhime and Tati Kosi alias Pramila, both wanted by the police with bounties of Rs eight lakh each on their heads.

Sharmila was a member of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion number one, while Tati was a member of the west Bastar division of the outlawed CPI (Maoist). Another surrendered Maoist, Muchaki Hidma, was an area committee member and carried a reward of Rs five lakh.

The surrender of 20 Maoists in Sukma occurred a week after 30 Naxals laid down arms in Bijapur under south Bastar. Raipur was the location where the Maoist surrenders took place.

Interestingly, many of the surrendered Maoists had bounties on their heads. Apart from Sharmila, Tati, and Muchaki, four other rebels carried bounties of Rs four lakh each. Many other surrendered Maoists had a bounty of Rs one lakh each on their heads.

It's worth noting that in the past 18 months, a total of 1,686 Maoists have surrendered in Chhattisgarh. The surrendered Maoists were all wanted by the police. However, the name of the last Maoist who was asked to surrender, along with the month and district in Chhattisgarh this year, is not provided in the available search results.

These surrenders mark a significant step towards peace and stability in the region and are a testament to the ongoing efforts of the authorities to bring an end to the violence perpetrated by the Maoists.