The grave of a child, who died during the midday meal tragedy, at the Gandaman Primary School compound

Patna, Aug. 10: The Masrakh midday meal tragedy has provided Maoists an opportunity to spread their tentacles in the Saran area by fanning popular discontent for protests and distributing pamphlets.

A senior government official said according to an intelligence report, the armed cadres of CPI(Maoist) were active in Marhaura sub-division. “The Maoists are not lagging behind in taking mileage out of the midday meal tragedy,” he said. The official added that a handwritten parcha (note) was distributed in a few villages considered to be the stronghold of Maoists, highlighting gross anomalies in the distribution of midday meal in government schools. “We have intensified vigil in sensitive areas of the district as a precautionary measure,” said Saran superintendent of police (SP) Sujeet Kumar.

At least seven out of 30 police stations in Saran are under the influence of the Reds, who have made their presence felt by carrying out several attacks on construction sites of different private firms engaged in road construction works.

“The Maoists have stepped up activities in areas under Masrakh block after the midday meal incident,” a police officer said. SP Sujeet admitted that Amnaur, Taraiya, Panapur, Maker and a few other police stations have registered 24 cases of extortion (collection of levy) against CPI(Maoist) cadres. “Though Saran’s name did not figure in the list of the security related expenditure districts, its six to seven police stations were adversely hit by the Maoist menace,” he said.

Additional director-general (law and order) S.K. Bhardwaj said some parts of Saran and adjoining Gopalganj have been witnessed Maoist related incidents in recent times. “But the problem is not serious,” he added.

Sources said armed cadres of the banned outfit had destroyed the construction site of Madhucon, a private construction agency and set several vehicles on fire in the district on December 4, 2012.

These indications are being culled from the success of protests, bandhs and mounting people’s anger against government machinery in the district after the July 16 incident, which claimed the lives of 23 children at Dharmasati Gandaman village. The sources said the Maoist cadres and sympathisers were behind the public protests and allegedly prevented senior officials from reaching the spot after the meal tragedy. Officials would not jump to the conclusion at this stage but also would not rule out such possibilities.