Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), Oct 14 : A hardcore Maoist couple carrying a combined bounty of Rs 10 lakh, laid down their arms before the security forces in Gadchiroli, here on Monday, top officials said.

The husband-wife duo includes Varun Raja Muchaki, 27, Commander of Bhamragad Local Organisation Squad (LOS) and Roshani Vijya Wachami, 24, Party Member in the same unit, said Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.

This takes the total count of surrendered Maoists to 674 till date in the state, besides many others who were eliminated in big and small encounters in the past few years.

Muchaki joined the Maoist organisation as a party member in the Konta area of Chhattisgarh in 2015 and served in various capacities before he was transferred to Bhamragad in Maharashtra after five years.

From 2020 till 2022, he served as a Deputy Commander and then was promoted to Dalam Commander, he was wanted for a total of 15 serious crimes including 10 encounter killings and five other offences.

His wife Roshani Wachami was recruited as a party member in Rahi LOS in 2015, was transferred to Bhamragad in 2016 for a year and then to Aheri LOS from 2017-2019 before returning to Bhamragad in 2021, posted in Gatta LOS till 2022 and back to Bhamragad as a Party Member, her current position at the time of surrender.

She faced a total of 23 major crimes including 13 encounters and other serious offences and the couple carried a combined reward of Rs 10 lakh for their scalps -- comprising Rs 8 lakh on her husband and Rs 2 lakh for her, said the Gadchiroli Police.

The disillusioned couple has cited various reasons to opt out of a life of violence in the wilderness, including lack of independent lifestyle for married persons, senior cadres siphoning off the monies extorted for the public movement, misusing tribal youth, indulging in senseless killings of villagers/tribals on suspicions of being police informers, etc.

Moreover, the women cadres faced discrimination by the upper rung leaders, how during encounters the males ran away deserting them, and lack of medical aid for them, the strong action by the security forces which had broken the Maoist movement's spine and now reportedly losing support among the masses.

Police officials like Sandip Patil, Ankit Goyal, A. K. Sharma, Enjirkan Kindo and Neelotpal who were present at the surrender on Monday, said that both would be entitled to a total reward of Rs 11.50 lakh by the state and Centre for their rehabilitation, plus other benefits that would enable them to join the national-social mainstream.

Neelotpal said that from 2022 till now, 27 hardcore Maoists surrendered on different occasions and they are now leading a normal life without violence.

/IANS