As many as sixteen Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said, adding that of them nine cadres belonged to Kerlapenda village and after their surrender the village was now Maoist-free, reported the PTI.

Those surrendered on Monday include six carrying a collective cash reward of Rs 25 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said.

Of them, nine cadres belonged to Kerlapenda village panchayat under Chintalanar police station limits. With this surrender, the village has become Naxalite-free, making it eligible for development projects of Rs 1 crore as per a new scheme of the state government, an official said, according to the PTI.