The outlawed CPI (Maoists) that often remained offensive to government agencies could not deter the confidence of the security forces and state police.
The ultras, though, made several abortive attempts to make their presence felt by blowing up a mobile tower, putting posters or through other such activities in remote and unreachable parts of Parasnath terrains and surrounding areas in 2022. But the creative efforts and diehard attitude of the Force Implementing agencies have pushed the Maoists into the back-foot that eventually led to the arrests of several naxal leaders and subsequent recoveries of arms and ammunition across the region. Besides, government agencies are now targeting Maoist sympathizers and their supporters so that extremism can be contained across the region.
Speaking to the Pioneer, the Giridih Superintendent of Police, Amit Renu, said that the main objective of the department was to establish peace and tranquility across the Maoists-hit areas, particularly the inaccessible rural pockets of Parasnath terrains, Giridih-Dhanbad and Giridih-Bokaro bordering regions. The security forces are also focusing on remote and inaccessible villages falling along the Jharkhand-Bihar border and adjacent localities.
“Although, the anti-Maoists Operations have continued for over the past 2-3 decades, the intensified police actions during the years 2020, 21 and 22 emerged as a big success for the state police and the security forces. At least 45 armed Maoists, all carrying a reward of about Rs. 64 lakhs, and their supporters have either been arrested or surrendered during this period in Giridih, Dumka and other Naxal-hit areas,”, Renu said.
Giridih police, with the help of the central forces, had in 2020 arrested three hardcore activists of the CPI (Maoists), including the Maoists commander, Prashant Manjhi, and his two close aids: Prabha Soren and Sudhir Kisku from Pandeydih village area under Khukhra police station of Giridih district. The site of arrest is located along the Parasnath-foothill areas and close to Dhanbad district. The security personnel had also recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition comprising an AK – 47 rifle, country-made pistols, live cartridges and other gadgets from their possession. Manjhi carried a reward of Rs 10 Lakh on his arrest. On the other hand, the Maoist Zonal Commander, Nunuchand Mahto, who carried a reward of Rs 5 Lakh on his head, surrendered before the Giridih police in June 2021. Mahto was wanted in over 72 cases, lodged in different police stations of Jharkhand and other states.
Sources from another government department revealed that altogether 21 Maoists activists, including male and female members of the CPI (Maoists) and their supporters were arrested in 2022.
“Nandlal Soren alias Puncture, a resident of Belatand village under Khukhra police station area and his wife, Duladi alias Dula Baske, and Katti Manjhi, a resident of Bekatpur village under Pirtand police station of Giridih are among other hardcore Maoists commanders arrested during ongoing anti-Maoists operations in the year 2022 in Giridih. Besides, 3-4 Maoists activists and supporters have also surrendered so far. The security personnel have also recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition during the operations against the ultras”, a Government officer said on condition of anonymity. Another Maoists commander, Hitesh alias Nandlal Soren, allegedly involved in the much publicized murder case of Dumka SP Amarjit Balihar in 2014, was arrested by the security forces, comprising Giridih police and SAF personnel, from a remote location under Pirtand PS areas, on July 7, 2022.
Noticeably, apart from intensifying combing operations against the Maoists onslaught, the security forces are now chalking out fresh plans to curb the ultras across the region.
"Emphasizing on community policing, carrying out developmental plans in coordination with other government agencies, and participating in youth awareness and skill development programmes across the Maoist-hit areas are among the various other steps meant to eradicate extremism from the Maoist-infested areas of the district, particularly in Chatro, Dholkatta, Mohanpur, Madhuban and other portions of Pirtand”, ASP (Operation), Gulasan Tirki, said adding that if everything goes well, the possibility of outstanding success in 2023 cannot be ruled out.
“The Investigating Officers of Naxal-hit PS areas have been directed to reopen the old Naxal cases and contact the families of the absconding Maoists. They have also been asked to issue notices of proclamation and property attachments in the name of absconders. However, over a dozen notices related to property attachments have so far been put up in the houses of absconding Maoists, including Maoist leaders and commanders, in Pirtand areas of Giridih district,” Giridih SP said.
When asked, Renu stressed that the district police, under the proper direction and guidelines of the concerned super cops and state authorities, could so far achieve high success in containing the ultras across the region.
Forces, comprising state police, Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) and Sashastra Suraksha Bal (SSB) have been pressed into the far-flung red terror zones of Bokaro, Chatra, Dhanbad, Dumka, Giridih, Latehar and other districts of Jharkhand to contain the ultras.
The recent activities of the force implementing agencies are being considered as a kind of ‘psychological war fair’ to combat Maoist menace in Jharkhand. The officials however believe that apart from creating awareness and participating in various community development programs of the state as well as the central governments like: organizing sports events, medical camps and others, they can also expose the ill-activities and ill – wills of the Maoists and other extremists groups.
