Jamshedpur police stage plays to deter youths from joining Maoists

Jamshedpur, March 25: In a bid to prevent youth from joining Naxal groups, Jamshedpur police are organising street plays to show the hollowness of the Maoists’ way of life. “Bhatke Rahi (Misguided Traveller)”.

‘Bhatke Rahi’ street plays are being staged in police station areas like Bodam, Patmada, MGM, Ghatshila, Galudih, Dhalbhumarh, adjoining the West Bengal border. Its response is also overwhelming. Sports events are also being organised under community policing during street plays and prizes are also distributed among the winning contestants. The people of the village are also openly participating in this.

“Poverty has basically been responsible for their problems. So we are addressing these issues. If the youths start getting employment, they probably won’t take to arms. Hopefully, even hardcore naxalites too would see logic behind our campaign, which seeks to encourage them to give up arms and join the mainstream,” said a police official.

Involving the community and educating them may effectively address the Naxalite menace in this area. The concept of community policing has also been introduced in many states, including Tamil Nadu, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In this initiative, community support is sought to help police in crime prevention, giving information about any antisocial or criminal activity in the area and helping police in the arrest of proclaimed offenders.

Apart from interaction with the villagers, the police are holding sporting events to motivate young boys and girls and encourage them to take sports as an option for career building.

“Community policing has nothing to do with the ongoing operation against the Maoists. However, interaction with the rural people is to do away with their inhibitions, if any, they have regarding issues pertaining to the civil administration,” said SSP M Tamil Vanan.

In the majority of the Maoist-hit blocks in three districts of Kolhan, community policing exercises will continue for the next few months. In the last fortnight, police have convened meetings at Ghatshila, Ichagarh and Chaibasa and are likely to do so in Chandil, Patamda and Potka in the weekend.

District Rural SP Nathu Singh Meena said that under community policing, Bhakte Rahi Nukkad Natak is staged in the area adjacent to the West Bengal border. Through this inspirational message is being spread. If Naxalites join the mainstream, they are also welcomed. Common people can also give information about Naxal activities by going to the police station. Now it’s time to move together.

The artists of Indradhanush are also giving their support in staging street plays. The Anti-Naxal campaign has been run by Indradhanush for years. During the street play, efforts are made to make the people of the village aware of the activities of the Naxal area.