Fear of Maoists in rural Bihar is such that Tandwa market in Aurangabad district has remained closed for the last eight days.
The market wore deserted look on Monday as not a single shop has opened since September 30 after Maoists issued a diktat to close down the market for violating a shutdown call by them.
Even the Bihar police and local administration are helpless in ensuring opening the Tandwa market in Aurangabad, one of the Maoist-hit districts of Bihar. It appears that the rule of law does not matter in Tandwa market.
"The entire market has been closed after Maoists issued a diktat as a punishment for violating the day-long bandh call on September 23 . We cannot take any risk to open our shops in the market," Vijay Kumar Gupta, a shopkeeper said.
Gupta said nobody could dare to challenge the diktat. "Who will protect us and save us if Maoists attack the market and burn it," he said.
Mahesh Prasad, another shopkeeper, said few shopkeepers of the market violated the bandh on September 23
"The mistake committed by few shopkeepers resulted in the diktat to closed the market for a month" Prasad said.
The traders' body had already apologised to Maoists and keen to bow before Maoist for compromise to open the market.
"It is festival season, a business time for us. We have sent the message to Maoist leaders to accept their terms and conditions for lifting the ban,' Prasad said.
So far there is no communication from the Maoist side. Despite police deployment, traders and shopkeepers have refused to open their shops.
"Police attempted time and again to convince shopkeepers to open their shops, but in vain till date," ASP M S K Nayak said.
Maoist have been running parallel administrations in large part of central Bihar, comprises Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Arwal, Rohtas, Kaimur districts.