Rohtas superintendent of police Manu Maharaj presents an umbrella to a resident at the police-public meeting at Tartar village. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary

Patna, June 20: Rohtas superintendent of police (SP) Manu Maharaj was moved by the way a hardened Maoist’s kin accorded him a warm welcome today at Tartar village, around 200km southwest of here.

The occasion was a police-public meeting that the police had conducted as part of Operation Biswas. It is aimed at instilling a sense of security among the people and increasing their confidence in the police. “The purpose of the meeting was to send a message to the people that the police are meant for them and they should support us (the police) in our work,” Maharaj said.

Accorded a warm welcome by Damyanti Devi and Antu Kumari, the wife and daughter of jailed Maoist leader Sudama Oraon, Maharaj said: “It was an entirely a different experience for me. It was the first occasion when family members of a hardened Maoist welcomed any police officer.”

Damyanti said: “The tormentor (police) of our family has now become the protector.” She added that her daughter now studies at a school in Dehri-on-Sone because of the police’s initiative.

Maharaj also assured the people, who came all the way from Madha, Dhansa, Babhantalab and Koriyari villages to attend the meeting, all sorts of assistance from the police. Medicines, torches and clothes were distributed among them.

“There is no need to seek help from other organisations. The police are meant for you and you should always approach them without any fear or prejudice,” he said.