A splinter group of naxals Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) is eyeing 10-crore worth of stone crushing plant for a huge sum. The plant is present at Asehar under Panki police station 20 Kms from the nearest police station Panki and 33 Kms from the police headquarters in Daltonganj. The plant is in a cut-off area in accordance with the mining rules and provisions.
One Paramjeet identifying himself to be from JJMP outfit is making calls to one of the members of plant management asking him to meet and finalise the issue (read money). The matter is in the notice of the senior police officers.
The man, Khan (full name withheld for safety), of this plant said that he has received many such calls from this JJMP cadre Paramjeet to meet him to settle the issue. Khan has not met so far the JJMP cadre.
DIG, Palamu Vipul Shukla said, “I will speak to ASP ( Ops) to ensure that no harm comes to the management and plant as well. There will be security cover.”
Sources said SP Palamu and ASP (Ops) are also monitoring this threat perception to the management and to the plant machinery. Khan said, “We are under tremendous bank loans. We are paying staggering bank interest. Our financial stakes are too high. Production at this plant is yet to be done. We are to produce stone chips from zero size to 40 mm size. All this is yet to start and here is this lingering threat from JJMP.”
Panki police are making visits to this plant site to ensure safety and are asking the management to undertake more such security related measures.
Mukhiya of Asehar panchayat Deosagar Ram has demanded setting up of a police picket at Asehar near this plant. The mukhiya has reasons for this. He said there is no bank in a radius of 15 Kms of Asehar and police picket will help establish a bank here much to the benefit of women SHGs. Further the mukhiya said Asehar had a population of more than 6,000 people as per 2011 census which has crossed 7,000 marks in 2017 and the nearest police station is Panki. Again Asehar is in contiguity of village like Hotai Banai etc which has a history of naxal violence.
Khan too has vociferously demanded setting up of a police picket here near his plant for which he said his firm will provide water, sanitation and electricity. He said there is a piece of Government land in the East and West of his plant where this police picket can be set up.
DIG police Palamu Vipul Shukla when apprised of this demand for the police picket there said, “let me get details from ASP (Ops) first but safety and security to the plant and its owners will be given high priority.”
Khan said his plant production can help administration in its Manatu Action Plan as his stones, chips and stone ashes there will be readily available for Manatu Action Plan.
Sources said with the production in this plant the demand for raw material for road, bridge and Government and private building construction will be met with less time and less money as well.