Community policing and civic action plans have given double advantage to the men-in-uniform amid the rugged terrain and dense forests in the eastern districts of the state.

The police have tried to counter the menace of Naxalites who continue to enjoy the local residents’ support.

“We have initiated special community policing for the vanvasis (mostly tribals) who reside in the most inaccessible parts of the district. To show people-friendly attitude, the cops have has decided to organise a mega lok adalat for disposal of pending cases against people earlier made accused under forest Acts,” said Munger superintendent of police (SP) Barun Kumar Sinha.

According to the SP, more than 2,500 such minor cases are pending in different police stations in the districts, most of which were earlier registered with police stations by forest personnel against either the theft of forest wood or for cutting forest products. He said during the district’s foundation day programmes on December 2-5, 2014, apart from the mega lok adalat, the district administration would emphasise on the vanvasis and would give them opportunity to expose their skills on the day. The administration would also felicitate the best tribal performers in the functions.

Since long, police have been facing challenge from Naxalites in inaccessible areas of districts that share borders with Jharkhand. The rebels use those as safe bastions and corridors.

Elaborating the strategy to take the underprivileged in confidence, Bhagalpur range inspector-general of police Bacchu Singh Meena said: “We have started initiated for community policing and civic action plans in such areas to win the residents’ confidence.”

When asked about the cases pending against majority of people under forest acts in Munger, Jamui, Lakhisarai and Banka districts, Meena said: “In many such cases, there is provision for imposing fines of Rs 50 against the accused, so one could easily understand its intensity,” he explained.

“My father was wanted in such a case since 1997. He was arrested by forest personnel for cutting firewood for cooking,” said Mahadeo Soren of Vanbarsa hamlet under Haveli Kharaghpur police station in Munger.

Citing examples like that of Mahadeo’s father episode, Meena said because of poverty and lack of proper knowledge many innocent tribals get trapped in such cases and the legal procedure gets lengthy.

“On an experimental basis, we have decided to help such people in Munger first. Only after its success, such measures would be adopted for other districts in this region,” Meena told The Telegraph. He added that it would help police spread a positive massage among the people in remote places.