Reports indicate Maoist resurgence in Jangalmahal
KOLKATA/ WEST MIDNAPORE: Only three days after state police DG GMP Reddy said that there was nothing to worry about Maoists activities in the Jangalmahal, a report by the central intelligence department to the Union ministry of home affairs indicated several Maoist groups are operative in the area. The report is all the more alarming because chief minister had personally enquired about the Maoist activities there. Recently, Reddy, after his meeting with top cops, IB and central force officers, had said, “Though there is nothing alarming in the state right now as far as Maoist activities are concerned, considering the recent activities of the rebels in the neighbouring states we have reviewed the situation and have instructed the officers to stay alert.”
But the report sent to the home ministry says a different story. It has been mentioned that there are at least ten groups — all from Jharkhand and Odisha — which are frequenting parts of Purulia, Bankura and West Mindapore and conducting meeting with the villagers and local youths. In the report, there is mention of Gopal Pande and Rahul who are making rounds in the Jangalmahal area regularly. Pande — a resident of Kantasole and a former member of PCPA — was arrested in 2013. But in 2014, he fled to Jharkhand after his release on bail. “Recently, Pande was seen in parts of Jangalmahal moving around with youths of the locality,” the report claimed.
But, the intelligence inputs they failed to provide any details about Rahul who is reportedly moving around Purulia’s Ayodhya hills area now. When asked about recent Maoists activities in Jangalmahal, Purulia SP Siddhrath Nilkath said, “People go on telling a lot of things but so far we haven’t got any concrete evidence of Maoist presence here. We are keeping a close watch”. Bharati Ghosh, SP of West Midnapore, said, “There is no information about any Maoist presence in the district.” However, a senior officer on condition of anonymity said, “It is too early to say that the Lalgarh days are back. But we cannot deny the fact that the rebels are returning. There is another issue which we are bothering us. The villagers who were so long working as the eyes and the ears of police and joint forces have suddenly become silent. We need to find out whether they have stopped speaking because of Maoist fear.
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