Ravindra Singh, 25, a resident of Maoist-affected Kharni Village in Govindpur block, around 15 kms away from district headquarters, is visibly upbeat on casting his vote for the first time on May 12. He did not cast his vote in the last parliamentary and assembly elections in 2014 due to poll boycott call given by the CPI (Maoists) but the situation, he says, has improved this time.

Singh is not alone having joy in anticipation for voting. It could rather be seen through the prism of freedom of thousands of voters across 50 villages in Govindpur, Tundi and Topchachi blocks in Dhanbad district who had been living under the shadow of Maoists insurgency for around four decades.

Since1984 the CPI (Maoists) has been giving poll boycott call with walls across these villages plastered with Maoist posters and banners asking the locals to abstain from voting. The poll boycott posters were witnessed ahead of every elections, from parliamentary to panchayat elections.

In 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly elections, Maoists had pasted posters and banners in more than 15 villages including Rajkiya Buniyadi Vidyalay Kharni, Vanasthali Vidyalay, Tilaiya Chowk, Yadavpur village, Ratanpur Birajpur Chawk of Govindpur block, Palma, Surra , Jitpur, Machhiyara, Maniyadih in Tundi block and Chalkari, Domanpur villages of Topchachi block. These areas are considered to be Maoists influenced. As a result, villagers avoided casting their votes fearing reprisal from members of the banned organisation.

In 2004, the Maoists had given poll boycott call in Palma village of Tundi where they ambushed a polling party, killing a doctor (Dr Ajay Kumar) of Central Hospital of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL). Following the incident, the villagers not only avoided to cast vote but also skipped poll discussion in public.

However, situation in this election appears to have changed the region. No poster or banner of Maoists over poll boycott is seen in any of these villages across three blocks till date. Voters, especially youth, who would not even talk openly about election are now saying they would exercise their franchise.

“Maoists fear is matter of past now. People in region would vote without any fear,” said Nirjan Mahto, teacher of Rajkiya Buniyadi Vidyalay Kharni where Maoists had put up poll boycott posters in 2014.

According to Dhanbad superintendent of police (rural), Aman Kumar, anti-Maoist operation has broken the morale of the local cadres. This time they have failed to even put up posters in the area, Kumar claimed.

“Besides, we have chocked entry points of Maoists and are conducting regular monitoring in the region. Moreover, all old supporters and sympathisers of Maoists in the region have been kept under surveillance. All these factors have boosted the confidence of villagers,” said Kumar.

However, encounter between Maoists and security personnel at Belbaghati in neighboring Giridih district on April 15, day before starting of nomination, has shaken the villagers. Three Maoists and a jawan were killed in encounter at Bhlbaghati on April 15.

Since Tundi assembly segment of Dhanbad district falls in Giridih parliamentary constituency, people of the region are apprehensive.

“No doubt Maoist fear has evaporated from the region in this election, but some villagers are still apprehensive. Bhelbaghati incident shows Maoists are still active in the region,” said Ramdev Pandey, a priest, who claimed to have witnessed Maoists putting up posters at Birajpur Chowk in 2014.

First Published: Apr 18, 2019 12:22 IST