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Maoists strike again, in Jharkhand

The conditions at a cultural programme organised in Chilkhadia village in Jharkhand on Friday night seemed ideal for the Maoists to strike. In the dead of night, around 1 a.m. on Saturday, a large group of naxalites killed at least 18 people in that gathering — including former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi’s son, Anup. Apparently, the target was Mr. Marandi’s brother Nunulal, but he managed to escape. The group of Maoists is reported to have resorted to indiscriminate firing, and even hurled bombs to strike terror towards the end of the cultural show that followed a football match. Given the situation on the ground in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar — which have emerged as the most vulnerable States in the naxalite corridor that extends from Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal — organising such events well into the night may be an invitation to the naxalites to strike. Though the police were supposed to have provided security for the function, top police officers have been quoted as saying that many of the policemen on duty had left the scene. Mr. Marandi has said that the naxalites initially came dressed as Central Reserve Policemen, and then carried out their killings. Over a dozen Maoist strikes have been reported this year in the corridor, a majority of them in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Despite the regular reviews and meetings both at the Central and State levels, the security forces and the State police have not been able to contain the problem. The Centre has tried to project the Andhra Pradesh model of dealing with Maoist extremism, but even there it has met with only limited success because the extremists are on the run. The naxalites, who are constantly regrouping and reworking their strategies, are finding it easy to strike in one State and flee into the jungles of a neighbouring State. This only underlines the fact that coordination among the affected States is far from satisfactory. It is not enough if Directors General or Inspectors General of Police and CRPF talk about it in New Delhi or the State capitals. In the jungles, and around the known hideouts of the Maoists, there has to be concerted and coordinated action. As part of their plan to hit identified political targets and special police battalions, and generally to strike terror, the naxalites are killing dozens of innocents. If the Maoists in Nepal can join mainstream politics, there can be no reason for their counterparts in India to persist with their murderous course. In addition to tough security measures, the Centre and the affected States must evolve a joint strategy to bring the Maoist groups to the negotiating table and address the serious socio-economic problems of the people, especially the tribals.

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