The district police and Para-military forces on Tuesday launched a massive combing operation in Chowka in adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district after a group of about 25 armed CPI-Maoist rebels threatened about 200 villagers to blow them by explosives at Palastand on Chandil-Chowka Road about 30 Kms from here on Tuesday night.
The Naxals appeared after the villagers were mourning murder of a 50-year-old man, Yogendra Nath Tuddu, at Hesakocha village under Chowka police station area in Chandil in adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district. After beheading the villager, the rebels had thrown posters on his body, claiming the responsibility of the murder. Circle inspector, Chandil, Arvind Kumar Singh said that the victim was the president of Palna Dam Fishery Co-operative Society and had a fight with a Naxal at Hesakocha village two days ago.
The villagers were carrying the body of Tuddu after staging a protest at the Chowka police station, seeking security from the attacks by the rebels. On the condition of anonymity, a villager said that while they were carrying the body of Tuddu in a van a squad of about armed rebels appeared before them at Palastand village on the Chandil-Chowka Road, from where the Hesakocha was about seven kilometres away.
The villager said they subsequently returned to Khunti village by covering about two kilometres and spent the night under the open sky. Singh confirmed about the villagers passing the night under open sky at Khunti village in fear of rebels attack. After getting the complaint of the rebels threat, superintendent of police, Seraikela-Kharsawan Madan Mohan lal had ordered for an extensive combing operation of the Chowka jungle.
According a police official, the rebels use Tamar, Bandhgaon, Chowka and Khunti as a corridor for reaching to Saranda forest. But ever since the rebels' training camps were demolished, the rebel squads have been moving outside of the peripheral of the Saranda in search of an advantage to attack police and paramilitary forces.
The administration has increased police patrolling on the bordering areas connecting to West Bengal and has also deployed adequate number of paramilitary personnel on areas potential to rebels attack.He went to claim that the ultras were trying to create tension among villagers so that they can disturb them.