Author: Our Staff Reporter
Publication: The Hindu
Date: February 23, 2003
URL: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003/02/23/stories/2003022301530500.htm
The recent People's War dump unearthed
by the Anantapur police is said to be significant in nature as it consisted
of `explosive' information about the sources of income on regular basis.
The information could be a vital shot in the arm for the police in its
fight against the naxalite movement.
Documents pertaining to the plenum
meet of Dandakaranya Special Zone Committee held in 1997, resolutions passed
at the meeting, future plan of action, minutes of the Nallamala Forest
Division meetings and the dalam-wise minutes of Anantapur district committee
meetings from 1998 to 2001 were learnt to have been found in the dump.
According to police sources, the
information procured from the dump also comprised details of the sources
of arms and ammunition. A detailed study of the documents found in the
dump, which is being done currently by the SIB, could well provide added
teeth to the police combat against the People's War.
Toddy tappers' associations, road
contractors, quarry owners, local politicians were the major and regular
sources of income for the district committee of People's War. The sources
maintained that the diaries found in the dump indicated that the funding
was in large amounts (lakhs) always.
The funds collected by the district
committee in one of the recent years was a whopping Rs. 60 lakhs. Of which,
Rs. 35 lakhs was sent to the Central Committee of the organisation and
the remaining was utilised by the district committee and dalams. The details
expenditure was also noted in the diaries, the sources said.
The police sources observed that
those who have been helping People's War with funds have been doing it
either out of fear or out of sympathy for the PW activities.
People's War dalams in the district
were getting arms and ammunition with the help of local factionists-cum-
politicians. Bellary (Karnataka) was another major source for their arms,
the documents found in the dump revealed. However, the sophisticated arms
like AKs, SLRs and others were being supplied from the armoury of the Central
Committee.
Once the detailed study of the documents
was completed it would enable the police to move against the sources of
income of the PW including invoking acts like POTA against them. The documents
found in the dump also revealed how the organisations like Rythu Coolie
Sangham and Radical Students' Union would prepare the ground for the PW
activities at grassroots level.
The PW documents have also thrown
light on the pen sketches of all members of dalams, the strengths and weaknesses
of dalams and their members. The information also included the introspection
by the committees at various levels and dalams regarding offences committed
by them.
