Author: Ravi Reddy
Publication: The Hindu
Date: May 29, 2002
The banned People's War Group naxals
appear to be facing tough time in the tribal areas of Adilabad district
with more and more tribals turning against them and refusing to provide
them food and shelter.
In the last one-week alone three
Gond-dominated tribal hamlets in Kadam and Sirpur Utnoor mandal have revolted
against the naxals and dared them to cause harm to them. The naxals are
facing severe problem of food and shelter in the tribal areas, as villagers
appear to be in no mood to grant their plea for food.
After Gangapur and Nagulapalli villagers
taught a lesson to the extremists of the underground outfit, the people
of Dampur emulated them last night when the naxals had to face tough time.
The tribals of Dampur village in
Sirpur Utnoor mandal under Lingapur police station limits accosted four
members of the Indervelli Local Guerrilla Squad when they entered the village
to demand food and water. The tribals gathered in large numbers and refused
to provide them anything.
They went on to say because of naxal
movement, they were facing hardships. They pointed out that when the police
had come forward to liberate the inactive militants under the `Vimukti'
programme, the naxal presence would only send wrong signals.
Despite the plea from the naxals
to at least give them water, the villagers refused. The naxals returned
but not before they threatened the villagers of dire consequences. The
residents rushed to the Lingapur police station on Tuesday and informed
the local SI about the incident.
Dampur, situated in the Mangi forest
area, is said to be one of the PWG strongholds and most of the major party
meetings are held near this village. Even essential commodities and other
material are transported from Dampur for the said meetings. The Mangi LGS
commander, Yamunakka wife of District Committee member, Tekam Motiram,
and PGA seventh platoon member, Yerma Sriram alias Shyam, hail from Dampur.
The residents of Parvatiguda and
Movad (Asifabad mandal), Nagulaguda (Sirpur Utnoor), Lodepalli (Bejjur),
Mangi, Kautegaon and Punnguda (Triyani) and Gangapur (Kadam), had revolted
against PWG naxals in the last few months.
The residents of Gangapur village
stood out in all this incidents when they took on none other than the District
Committee secretary, Lalitakka, and other important leaders last week.
About 30 armed naxals who entered the village had to argue with the villagers
for almost four hours to provide them food and water. But, the belligerent
villagers did not heed their pleas and even taunted them that because of
their destructive activities, tribal villages are still backward.
The Adilabad SP, Mahesh Muralidhar
Bhagwat, told The Hindu that more than 10 tribal villages in the district
had turned against the naxals since January this year. Most of these villages
had naxal influence and the police movement was restricted because of PWG
presence. Interestingly enough, about 100 villages in the district have
passed resolution denouncing the PWG violence and taking a decision not
to allow the naxals to enter the villages.
