Bokaro/Ranchi: The 7th battalion of the CRPF has set up a camp at a village in Pirtand block of Giridih district which hosts the residence of dreaded Maoist Ajay Mahato, a member of the Special Area Committee of the banned CPI(Maoists).
The move was a part of measures undertaken by Jharkhand police and CRPF to build confidence among the villagers affected by Naxal activities across the state.
Mahto is among the list of most wanted and carries prize money of Rs 25 lakh on his head. CRPF has opened a camp close to his house in Pandeydih last week, said police sources.
Jharkhand police spokesman and inspector general, Saket Singh said, “The camp at Pandeydih is strategic for several reasons as the village is located near the foothills of the Parasnath Hills. Our presence there will prevent the extremists from coming down from the hills to the villages for fulfilling their requirements such as food. Similar camps have been opened in the forest areas of other sensitive districts like Latehar, Garhwa, Seraikela and Chaibasa.”
At present, the camp has been set up at Pandeydih Middle School, but unconfirmed sources said there are plans to construct a separate building gradually. The village is a Maoist stronghold. Apart from Mahto, who is active in the corridor between Parasnath and West Bengal and Orissa border, other Maoists like Karamchand Manjhi and Dhiren Da also hail from this village.
Earlier, Pirtand block was an impregnable fortress of the Maoists, which crumbled with CRPF’s growing dominance. A camp here will also help the security forces to penetrate deep into the areas held by the rebels.
While security forces have been able to curb Naxal activities in this region by either arresting of gunning down members, Mahto remains elusive so far. Mahto is accused to have been involved in several incidents and currently, he is believed to be active in Chaibasa area of West Singhbhum.