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Where dacoity and abduction are a cottage industry

Soroor Ahmed in Patna

Champaran, which Mahatma Gandhi had made famous through his indigo struggle, has, in a cruel paradox, become synonymous for murderous violence.

The killing of nine persons by dacoits in Chandraha-Rupawalia village on the Bihar-Uttar Pradesh border on the night of November 20-21 is just the latest in the recurring violence in the area. The region awaits another mahatma to counter the menace of landlords and gangsters who hold sway over both East and West Champaran districts.

The dense forests on its north-western border with Uttar Pradesh and Nepal have made the region a happy hunting ground for criminals. The sugarcane fields and the Gandak river, which changes its course ever so often, make it even more convenient for them. Dacoity, smuggling and abduction are flourishing industries here.

The region is the base of notorious gangsters like Sattan Yadav, his brother Bhangar Yadav, Ramakant, Bansi, Lallu Yadav and others. Lallu -- not Laloo as wrongly spelled by the media --- was no match to his competitors yet he shot into the limelight because he shares a first name with the former chief minister of Bihar.

While Lallu Yadav -- who is responsible for the killing of nine persons --- and other criminals are still active, Sattan Yadav managed to enter the state assembly on the Samata Party ticket in 1995. Later, he left the party and became an independent member of the legislative assembly. Currently he is behind bars for a case involving abduction and murder. Since he has not attended the house for more than 60 days continuously he stands the chance of being disqualified. Sattan's brother Bhangar was also once a notorious dacoit. However, of late, he has graduated to more refined crimes.

It may sound strange but it is true: the criminals have their own party called the Bihar Sarkar Jungle Party. And to crush these gangsters many operations have been launched in the past with hardly any success. In the 1980s, Operation Black Panther was launched under the leadership of Ramchandra Khan, deputy inspector general of police, but according to the local populace it failed to achieve much despite a promising beginning.

Notwithstanding the official denial the local people allege that the abduction industry started flourishing in the region in early 1980s at the instance of a superintendent of police of the Andhra Pradesh cadre who served in Champaran on special deputation. He reportedly told the gangs to quit dacoity and murder and opt instead for abduction.

It is only in the last couple of years that there has been a slight decline in the cases of dacoities and abduction. The credit for this goes to a former SP who formed a village self-defence force called Shahidi Jatha. The local youths were given arms licences and asked to counter the dacoits in their respective areas.

The Saturday night incident involved the dacoits and the Shahidi Jatha. On the previous day Subhapati Mahto, a local head of the Jatha, along with some villagers went to cut grass to thatch roofs. They were armed and they reportedly encroached into the jungle area considered the hideout of Lallu. This was an affront to the ganglord. His men fired at the villagers killing two of them, including Subhapati, on the spot.

The incensed villagers ransacked the ancestral house of Lallu in the neighbouring village. And the following night Lallu and his men struck back with a vengeance gunning down seven villagers. Lallu, according to sources, enjoys the support of the Ramakant, Shankar and Bansi gangs. Curiously, all the innocent villagers targeted by the gang were Yadavs.

A peculiar aspect of the crime in Champaran is that only the middle farmers and professionals like doctors, engineers, teachers etc are targeted. Champaran, apart from Purnea, is the only district where there is a large number of affluent landlords yet they are left untouched by the criminals.

According to a local youth who wished not to be named these landlords are hand in glove with the gangsters. The affluent landlords and sugarcane growers not only give money but also political protection to these dacoit gangs.

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