At least 31 Maoists of the banned CPI-Maoist surrendered to the Bihar police on Thursday in Muzaffarpur district.

Muzaffarpur Superintendent of Police Amit Lodha confirmed that 31 Maoist activists including two or three area commanders have surrendered before the police in Katara.

Lodha said that the surrender of the Maoists is a big achievement for the police. He said that some of the surrendered Maoists were wanted by the police in connection with several criminal cases. "They laid down their sophisticated arms including landmines," he said

This was the first such surrender by Maoists in north Bihar after a major Maoist attack in Madhuban in east Champaran district two months ago in which four people were killed.

The Maoists in recent days blasted police stations, killed policemen and looted rifles across Bihar.