Sixteen Maoist guerrillas Saturday surrendered in Orissa's Gajapati district saying they wanted to return to mainstream life, police said.

'Sixteen people have surrendered before us. They have surrendered saying that they want to return to mainstream,' District Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Arora told IANS.

According to police, of the 16 Maoists, eight were hardcore rebels from Adaba area of Gajapati.