RAIPUR: Disillusioned with exploitation by Naxalite leaders from Andhra Pradesh, a Maoist leader and his wife on Tuesday surrendered before police in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh.

Additional director general of police (Naxal operations), Rajinder Kumar Vij, told reporters in Rajnandgaon that 27-year-old Bhagat Jaade, was a member of Rajnandgaon-Kanker border divisional committee of outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) and was also secretary of Dallirajhara area committee.

His wife Vanoja alias Tejo Netam, 21, was a member of Aundhi local committee.

Active in the banned outfit for about five years, the Naxalite couple told police after their surrender, that they were disillusioned with harassment and exploitation of dalam members by the leaders. Vij said Jaade's father was a sarpanch of village Sahpal, near Manpur area in Rajnandgaon district in 2005, the time when Naxalites began frequenting the region. Jaade came in touch with rebels, who used him for arranging supplies and later inducted him as a member of local area of Madanwada in 2007. In 2008, he was shifted as Polemadi area committee member and later he became area committee secretary in 2011.

The surrendered Maoist leader told reporters that one of his responsibilities was to enroll new members in CPI (Maoist) and he had played a crucial role in the process. However, there have been no new recruitments in the region for last two years, because of multiple factors including pressure being mounted by security forces.

Jaade also told police that his younger brother Budhram Jaade, who was in police, was abducted and killed by Maoist Vijay Reddy and Kamlesh.

Rajnandgaon district superintendent of police, Dr Sanjiv Shukla said Naxalite activities had declined drastically in the region and dalam members were returning to the mainstream. After being tipped off by surrendered Naxalites, a joint team of district police and Indo-Tibetan Border police (ITBP) have recovered and defused three IEDs and a directional mine, planted by Naxalites near a forest road.

Meanwhile, security forces have arrested two Naxalites from Maoist-hit Bijapur district in tribal Bastar region. The cadres were nabbed while they were trying to flee into the forests, under Gangalur police station limits on Monday evening, Bijapur deputy superintendent of police, Sukhnandan Rathore said.

Those arrested were identified as Punem Aytu (29) and Paiku Punem (35), active members of Gangalur area committee, he said. During interrogation, the duo admitted of being involved in several incidents of crime, including arson and murder in the region, he added.

