Police officers inspect the site of the blast in Sheohar. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh

Sheohar, Oct. 23: The writ of the Maoists runs everywhere in Sheohar. If you have staked your bid for any contract either for construction of road or for government buildings, you have to seek the “blessings” of the rebels first.

The private companies engaged in construction or repair of roads in this Naxalite-affected district of north Bihar first contact Maoist leaders and then try to bid for the contract. This is evident from the extensive damage caused to costly equipment meant for construction of roads by Maoists over the past three years.

Sources said that Maoists torched JCB machines and tractors under Tariyani police station area on February 10 this year. Two buses were set afire by the rebels near Basantpatti Chowk under Purnahiya police station in September this year. “Torching of JCB machines and tractors has now become almost a routine affair in Sheohar district,” said a police officer posted at Tariyani police station.

“The equipment of construction companies are damaged just to exert pressure on the proprietors of these firms to pay levy to the Maoists active in respective areas,” admitted a sub-divisional police officer of Sheohar, Amir Javed.

The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that the construction of bridge at Dubba Ghat on Bagmati river under Piprahi police station remained disrupted for more than a year due threat of the Maoists, who had torched costly equipment and thrashed the employees of the construction company.

“The work reassumed only after the intervention of chief minister Nitish Kumar. Special Auxiliary Police personnel were deployed on both sides of the bridge at the behest of the chief minister,” said Kamlesh Kumar of Dhankaul village.

Areas under all five police stations in Sheohar have been identified as badly hit. Villages like Ramban, Aura, Lakshminia, Sonbarsa, Kumharar, Malikana and Tariyani are said to be den of Maoists. The rebels have declared these pockets as liberated zones where the police even fear to tread.

The first incident of Naxalite violence was reported on June 24, 2001 when the Maoists had looted five police rifles and over 100 live cartridges from the jawans of the Bihar Home Guards deputed at Deokuli police outpost. “The Maoist activities have shot up alarmingly in the past three years,” said a local resident on the condition of anonymity.

Fear is writ large on every face. Nobody wants to open their mouths against the Maoists. “Who wants to invite the wrath of the rebels, who don’t care for their lives,” said Shyam Kumar, a resident of Main Road. Leaders like former zonal commander Lal Babu Sahni belonged to Malikana Tola village of this district, sources said. Nek Mohammad and Jiya Lal Rai are other important leaders of the outfit. The locals, however, blame the state administration for the unprecedented rise in the activities of the Maoists in Sheohar district. “No company of the central paramilitary force has been provided to this district for anti-Naxalite operation except during elections,” said a shopkeeper at Sheohar Main road.

Though district magistrate Suresh Prasad Singh tried to draw the attention of the state government towards the Naxalite menace in the district in vain.