Our Bureau/

Recent surrender by a “hardcore” Maoists Ramesh Tudu alias Ramesh Ji alias Ramesh Da before police at Jhajha in Naxalite infected Jamui has snowballed into major controversy owing to the definition of “hardcore” rebel set by police!

Ramesh (37), a native of Jhagraha village under Chanan PS in neighbouring  Banka district surrendered before the sub divisional police officer (SDPO), Jhajha, Bhaskar Ranjan. Police claimed him as hardcore rebel wanted by the police over dozens of cases since 2009 by the police of Banka, Jamui and Lakhisarai. “He confessed his long association with the rebels and also involvement in different cases. But now he wanted to join in the main stream in the society as he became faded up with the life which he had to spend with the outlaws inside forests,” narrated the SDPO.

But when police was asked to give details of the cases, not a single officer concerned including SDPO or the SHO, Jhajha PS failed to give any record. Rather the officials were busy to guide Ramesh to open mouth before media. Virtually the cops were directing him when he was replying media.

“I came to know that I have been wanted by the police in Naxalite related cases though in my life I never participated with the party men (read Maoists),” he told. “I am a small farmer at my village where I live with my wife Sarita Hansdak and two small kids. Earlier the party men used to stay at our village and we were instructed to provide them drinking water and foods. It was our compulsion to obey them,” he narrated.

Ramesh disclosed that he earlier went to the CRPF camps at Banka and Jamui and finally he was sent to Jhajha where his name was found in a case, case No-292/16 of Jhajha PS. “Actually on December 2016 police and CRPF arrested Sulo Yadav, Karu Marandi and Jripuran Yadav from Manikbathan village. All the arrested persons were Maoists who assembled at the village for planning out attack. Some of the accuse later in his statement mentioned the name of Ramesh and on that basis his name was involved in the case,” said a source from Jhajha PS.

“Someone just mentioned Ramesh’s name and police came an easy conclusion that he is a hardcore rebel. Not only that forced him for surrendering and glorified the surrender episode before local media persons at Jhajha. The media reports also far away from the truth, projected Ramesh as a hardcore Maoists commander,” alleged Kishun Murmu, a relative of Ramesh who operates a PDS at Katghar Panchyat under Jhajha PS.

Such incidents earlier were reported from Jamui when top ranking cops as well as intelligence bureau have expressed serious concerned and blamed district police and civil officials concerned at Jamui for their failure of implementation  of surrender policy for the former rebels properly during 2012-13.

They also blamed district officials and alleged their inactivates which prompted the former hardcore Maoists to take the chances to return back to rebels camps in the deep forests. Such allegation first time leveled against the district administration when Maoists who went virtually back foot from massive crackdown by the security forces in the district, have taken initiatives to recruit members to strengthen the organization.

Narayan Yadav a native of Baijla Taripar hamlet falling under Jhajha block in Jamui,  who earlier surrendered on February 2, 2007, once became the victim. An old case of 27 and 27A arms act pending against him at the court of ADJ-III at Jamui, and he had to run pillar to post to prove that he was not involve in the case. But in the system he became a “hardcore Maoist” and finally he had no option rather to rejoin with the rebels.

Narayan is not a sole case at Jamui; more than one dozen such former ‘hardcore’ Maoists who earlier surrendered before the Jamui police on 2007, had no option rather to return back to the rebels’ camps after being disappointed.

The story of Surendar Yadav alias Prakesh at Baijla was very interesting. Prakesh was first implicated in false cases by his next door neighbour, Arjun and others over the dispute of lands and 40 Mahua trees and like Narayan the rebels compelled him to join them (2005).

Prakesh however surrendered before the police on February 2 2007 with Narayan. Manoj Yadav played important role for that. After his surrendered he was sent to jail and was released on May 3, 2007. The court had acquitted him in three cases which were pending against him. But his rivals managed the police and again implicated him in another case of 2005 in which the rebels burnt down the vehicle during polls. “When I surrendered, I was not associated in the case but dramatically on October 2011 I was arrested by the police in connection of that old case of 2005 and had to stay inside the jail more than one and half month, ” he recalled.

“Soon after my release I personally rushed to Ambedar Jee (IG) at Bhagalpur on December 2011 and demanded justice,” he recalled further. “My husband was innocent, we have two small daughters, we don’t get anything except Rs 10000. We are living happily now with two square foods. Please told the officials and police not to disturb us further,” Sangita Devi wife of Prakesh requested.

Like Prakesh or Narayan many such families have the same stories. “The government had betrayed them,” told the family members of Bahadur Da at Amarwa, Lashmipur) and Ramesh Yadav (Ranga). Bahadur Da and Ramesh also surrendered before the police on February 4, 2007 but still languishing inside Jamui jail. Family members of Nirmal Da of Ranga (now inside the jail), Pasar Yadav (Porna), Bacchan Dev Yadav (Sahiya) who also surrendered earlier in 2007, have alleged the government for not take their matter seriously.

“This faulty system provide ample of scope to the rebels to penetrate inside the society,” said Arun Kumar Bohra, a Jhajha based social activist. According to him over more than 89 percent cases in the district, the Maoists found an easy entry inside the society in absence of any law and any remedial steps from administration side. “Now Ramesh is another instance, if Ramesh would harassed or would not get justice, what would be his first priority?” Bohora raised the question.

A top ranking IB official on condition of anonymity admitted that due to the negligence by the official concerned the situation was turning in a bad direction. “We earlier mentioned in our reports that how many former rebels returned back to mainstream of naxalism after they felt betrayed by the government after surrender,” the officer said on condition of anonymity. Another top cop at Munger division has also echoed the IB officer and apprehended that if immediate measures would not be taken, things would be more complicated in Jamui and other eastern Bihar districts where the outfits still have their presence.