Mangal and Malati surrendered their weapons before Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand. Their decision reflects growing pressure on Maoist cadres operating in Jharkhand's Saranda region.Maoist Malati surrenders her weapon before Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand along with Maoist Mangal.

A Maoist couple carrying cash rewards for their arrest surrendered before Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand on Friday and handed over their weapons.The couple, Mangal and Malati, are from West Bengal but were active in Jharkhand. The Jharkhand Police had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for Mangal's arrest and Rs 2 lakh for Malati's arrest."Mangal hails from Salboni in Paschim Medinipur district, while Malati is a resident of Gopiballavpur in Jhargram.

They moved to Jharkhand and were involved in Maoist activities, mainly in the Saranda forest region," Nand told reporters, according to news agency PTI.Nand said Mangal was close to slain Maoist Mallojula Koteswara Rao, better known as Kishenji, and faced six to seven cases in Jharkhand. "He joined the rebels in 2010 when the People's Committee was active in Salboni and moved to Jharkhand after 2011-12," the police commissioner said.Mangal was initially active in the Dalma region before moving to Saranda. Malati also left Jhargram and joined him there, Nand said.

Police said Maoists were finding it increasingly difficult to remain active in Jharkhand's Saranda region and began leaving the area this year."Around 13 Maoists from West Bengal were among those who were active there. Several of them have been arrested," the officer said.Explaining the decision to surrender, Mangal said, "Social transformation is not possible through armed struggle.

We have decided to leave that path and return to the mainstream of society. That is why we have come forward to surrender before the West Bengal government."The couple's surrender follows that of Maoist leader Pushpa, also known as Shakuntala, before the Kolkata Police in June.

Another Maoist, Sradhya Biswas, also known as Bela, was arrested in the Uttar Kashipur area in May.Mangal and Malati have now surrendered their weapons and said they decided to give up armed struggle and return to mainstream society.- Ends