Narayanpur: As many as 22 Naxalites, who were active in the Abhujmad area and carrying collective rewards of Rs 37.5 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Friday, a senior police official said.

The cadres, belonging to Kutul, Nelnar and Indravati area committees under the Maad division of Maoists, turned themselves in before senior police, Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials here.

The surrendered Naxalites told the police that they were disappointed with the “hollow” Maoist ideology and growing internal differences within the banned outfit, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria said. They were also influenced by the development work being carried out in the Maad area in the district, including rapid construction of roads, and wanted to lead a normal life, he said.

Of the Naxalites who gave up arms, Manku Kunjam (33), a divisional committee member, carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh, while three area committee members, identified as Hidme Kunjam (28), Punna Lal alias Boti (26) and Saniram Korram (25), carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each, the official said.