Police have launched a culture war against Maoists.

Team of artistes have been roped in from Jharkhand and Bengal to stage streetplays in rebel-hit areas, urging people not to fall in the trap of the rebels, who use people for self gains.

The teams would continue to camp in the district because the police intend to use them for longer duration to counter the Maoists, who try to brainwash people.

'The action has been taken in the wake of recent reports that rural youths of Minapur, Sahebganj, Deoriya, Paroo and Kudhani have recently been inducted into the rebel fold,' senior superintendent of police Ranjit Kumar Mishra said.

'Cordon, search operation and arrest of the suspected youths and person hobnobbing with the rebels would continue, along with the special drive, to spread message against rebels through artistes,' added the SSP.

Cultural attack to wean them from the rebel fold is being organised under the security-related expenditure (SRE) scheme. 'There is a provision of funds for spending on such works,' said the SSP.

The artistes stage plays, particularly in Bangara Nizamat and Ram Leela Gachi, the two places in western parts of the district, where the rebels often intrude under the cover of darkness for their nefarious designs of spreading organisational activities.

The rural people settled in the vicinity of the two areas had a discernible audience here on Saturday and were enthralled with the streetplay, Bhatke Rahi (Astray Passersby), enacted meticulously by the artistes from Jharkhand and Bengal.

Villagers appreciated the move of the police to disenchant them from falling into the trap of the Maoists, said Bhopal Bharti of Sahebganj.

'Residents enjoyed the play and then the police officials in plain clothes distributed pamphlets prepared on the state government's policy of facilitating aid to those rebels who were willing to shun the path of violence and surrender,' said Zahir Ahmad, a villager of Deoriya who watched the drama.

Artistes have already staged a drama in other Maoist-hit villages under the jurisdiction of Minapur police station and its adjoining Shivaipatti areas in the presence of personnel.

Buoyant over people's response, the district police are finding streetplays, a milestone in cleansing the minds of youths, who were deviated by the rebels to work for the outfit's organisational activities.

'People's response has been very good so far,' said the SSP.