Maoists build, cops look away - Martyr column for Jnaneswari accused

The martyr column at Birihari, near Jhargram town. Picture by Samir Mondal Midnapore, Sept. 6: Maoists have built a 27-foot-high martyr column to a slain rebel who was prime accused in the Jnaneswari Express sabotage, the unchecked construction near Jhargram reflecting a let-up in crackdown since the new government took charge. The concrete column at Birihari, about 8km from Jhargram town, was built in the memory of “action squad” leader Umakanta Mahato, who was shot dead by security forces in the Lodhashuli forests on August 27 last year. The rebels spent at least five days constructing the monument in an area routinely patrolled by the security forces. Another martyr column has been built at Sardiha near the spot where the Jnaneswari Express derailed. Inscribed at the base of the columns are the words: “Jungle Mahal bidroher mahan jananeta Umakanta Mahato smarane (in memory of Jungle Mahal’s great mass leader Umakanta Mahato).” A police officer in Jhargram said the force had been asked to exercise restraint in view of the talks between government-appointed interlocutors and the rebels. “We have been asked to exercise restraint and are not carrying out regular raids,” the police officer said. A CRPF officer said the columns were built by the rebels using the People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) as a front. “The Maoists told PCPA supporters to build the two columns. These are the biggest such constructions by the Maoists in Jungle Mahal so far,” a CRPF officer said. He added that during the Left rule, such constructions would be demolished soon after their discovery. “But the district police now don’t instruct us to demolish these structures,” he said. “Earlier, we had clear instructions in this regard from the district police.” Police officers said several smaller martyr columns had been constructed in Jungle Mahal in memory of PCPA president Lalmohan Tudu, and Maoist action squad members Sidhu Soren and Sasadhar Mahato. Jhargram police chief Gaurav Sharma said: “We are looking into it.” Security forces stopped intensive raids in Jungle Mahal soon after the Assembly polls. “This gave the Maoists some breathing space. Over the past three months, they returned to the dense forests of Lalgarh, Salboni and Goaltore that they had left last year,” said a police officer. Another officer said the force had information about a recruitment drive by Maoists in the Goaltore, Salboni and Lalgarh areas. “Some training has also been given to the new recruits. Soon they will be sent to Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh for further training,” the officer said. “If intensive raids are not started again, the Maoists will gain control over a sizeable part of the forests,” he added.