Rourkela, Sept. 10: Two Maoists today surrendered before the police in Sundergarh.

Sanika Topno alias Sangel Munda alias Susil, 25, from Langalkata within the limits of K. Balang police station of Sundergarh district and Sushari alias Sunita Hansda alias Mariam, 20, of West Singhbhum in Jharkhand carried a cash award of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads.

The duo, who were trained in the use of SLR and .303 rifles, gave themselves up to the police after reportedly being disillusioned with the Maoist movement. Also, Sunita was expecting her first child.

"Their disillusionment with the Maoist movement and the hardships they faced during their days in the jungle and the futility of an armed struggle led them to surrender," said Rourkela superintendent of police Anirudha Singh, adding that the duo were involved in several encounters with the police.

The SP said that the two were involved in a fierce encounter with the police on July 9 when the police attacked a Maoist camp inside Kusumdihi reserve forest in Gurundia police station limits. "During the encounter, Maoist central committee members Anmol and Sandip were present in the camp," said Singh.

Before that, the security forces had an encounter with the rebels at Gahami forest in Chandiposh on June 28 when another Maoist camp was destroyed. On November 11 last year, Sanika and Sunita had taken part in an encounter with the security forces at Asurkhol Parah forest area in Chandiposh police station limits.

The two had joined the Maoist camp five years ago and were under the Anmol group for some time. They were then transferred to the group led by Sandip. Both Anmol and Sandip were top members of the Maoist organisation and central committee members.

The SP said there were now around 50 to 60 Maoists operating in the Saranda forests in five groups. He said the Maoist organisation had weakened following deaths and surrender of cadres.

Speaking to newspersons, Sunita said: "I was not satisfied with the kind of life I was leading and the exploitation of women cadres at the camps. I realised joining the Maoist organisation had been a mistake." The two said they had also been finding it hard to bear the highhandedness of the Jharkhand Maoist cadres. Singh said a number of Maoist cadres from Odisha had opted out of the organisation because of this reason.