Dantewada: As many as 18 Maoists , including a militia platoon section commander and three women, surrendered on Wednesday in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada, a senior police officer said. Hidma Oyam (34) was working as the Hurrepal Panchayat Militia Platoon (HPMP) section commander, said Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai.

The three women are identified as Sambati Oyam (23) who was working as a deputy commander of HPMP, Gangi Madkam (28), the vice president of Kakadi Panchayat Krantikari Mahila Adivasi Sangthan (KAMS) of the banned CPI (Maoist), and Hungi Oyam (20), a member of Hurrepal Panchayat.

"The 18 Maoists laid down arms in front of police and CRPF officials. They were part of Bhairamgarh, and Malanger area committees of the Maoists in south Bastar," Rai said.

He said the Maoists surrendered themselves as they were impressed by the police's rehabilitation drive 'Lon Varratu' and disappointed with the hollow Maoist ideology.

"These cadres were tasked with digging roads, felling trees to block roads and putting up posters and banners during shutdowns called by Maoists. They will be provided facilities as per the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy," the SP added.

With this, 738 Maoists, including 177 of them carrying rewards on their heads, have so far joined the mainstream in Dantewada district, officials said.

Security forces have launched a crackdown on Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-hit districts.

Maoists suffered the highest number of fatalities in a single encounter in the history of the state's fight against LWE on April 16 when security forces gunned down 29 Maoists in Kanker district.