The destroyed poppy fields at Bandarmara village in Jamui district. Picture by Amit Kumar

Bandarmara (Jamui), March 7: When it comes to the Maoists, they still believe in the primitive barter system to strike deals in their favour. And who else knows it better than the residents of this impoverished village in Sono block.

The rebels have compelled the residents of Bandarmara, about 70km from the Jamui district headquarters near Jharkhand’s Giridih, for the deal. The Maoists have persuaded the villagers to replace paddy or wheat with poppy cultivation — the lure being 20kg of wheat in exchange of poppy grown on a cottah every crop season (November to March).

Sukhli Devi, 76, a native of the hamlet, was forced to strike the deal. However, she had no idea that poppy is in high demand in the international market.

Opium produced from poppy seeds costs crores per 10kg in the international market. And the Maoists exchange the crop to purchase sophisticated arms, ammunition and other items. “The rebels provide 20kg of wheat per cottah of land. But on the other hand, they get more than Rs 3 lakh from poppy cultivated per cottah,” said a senior police officer.

The police, along with the CRPF, conducted a raid in the village on February 24. Sukhli’s son, Bisundev, 40, and three other villagers were arrested for growing poppy in their fields. The police destroyed the poppy plants spread over more than 5 acres in the village.

Bisundev and three other landowners — Mahindar Yadav, Bhairo Yadav and Gouri Yadav — in their statement to the police said the rebels had been compelling them to cultivate poppy since 2010. “They used to supply us seeds, fertilisers and Rs 50 on an hourly basis for irrigation. Last time, they provided us with 12-13kg of foodgrain for one cottah poppy plantation. Encouraged by the high returns last year, the rebels assured us 20kg wheat this time,” one of them said.

Jamui superintendent of police Upendra Sharma said the police have identified a few Maoists in the nearby Ghutia hamlet, adjacent to Giridih, who were the alleged masterminds in the episode. “We are investigating the case and searching for other people who cultivate opium for the rebels,” he said.

Bandarmara, a Naxalite-hit village under Charkapathar police station in the district, has no signs of modern amenity. The village does not even get power. “We have to depend on wells or rain water for irrigation. We fell in the trap of the rebels because of our poor condition,” Dhrupadiya Devi, a villager, said.

Her father-in-law, Gouri Yadav, was among the four persons arrested. Another villager Mohammed Rakbar, 74, narrated how the villagers were striking deals with the rebels and the police virtually simultaneously. “Charkapathar police station is more than 20km from here and there is no security arrangement. We can’t disobey the rebels, but we also have to face the cops’ wrath,” Rakbar said.

The commandant of the 131st battalion of the CRPF, Bidan Chandra Patra, who led the operation in the village on February 24, said poppy cultivation was rampant there and the police and CRPF have initiated search operations. “We are compelled to arrest the innocent villagers. They are not responsible for the illegal profession. They are compelled to do it under pressure from the rebels, who have the privilege to rule the roost in absence of good governance,” Patra said.

Jamui district magistrate Mayank Warwade was not available for comment.