CoBRA personnel move into the Naxalite-affected areas in Rohtas. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary

Patna, July 8: The residents of over a dozen villages in Rohtas district have abandoned their homes and shifted to safer places apprehending backlash in view of the murder of a self-proclaimed zonal commander of CPI (Maoist) Birendra Yadav alias Rana.

Rana, the commander of Sone-Vindhyachal zone, was killed with his associate by armed persons at Bhaulia village under Chutia police station in Rohtas district last Friday. Police seized an AK-47 assault rifle and ammunition from the possession of the deceased Maoist leaders.

Initial investigation revealed that the victims belonged to the Yadav community. Their assailants are suspected to be Ajay Rajbhar, Nakhru Kharwar and Anil Koeri — Maoists belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBC).

“The Maoists belonging to OBC are trying to assert themselves in an organisation dominated by Yadavs,” said a police officer associated with the anti-Naxalite operation. He said the killing of Rana fuelled caste clashes within the banned outfit.

Sources said the family members of Ramji alias Nir mal, a Maoist leader of Yadunathpur, left their native place and shifted to somewhere else. The family members of Nakhru Kharbar have shifted from Jharkhura village while Ajay has shifted his family from Dumra village on Bihar-Jharkhand border.

“It is a double whammy for us. We can neither support the Maoist groups nor the police,” said a resident of Dinara village. He said the close confidants of Rana were on the lookout of the rebel Maoists, who killed the commander after taking him into confidence.

The supporters of Rana recently visited the suspected hideouts of the rebels and threatened the residents with dire consequences for providing shelter to the alleged killers.

Senior police officers are baffled over the reports of internal strife within the organisation. The officers of Rohtas, Aurangabad and Kaimur have launched a joint operation in the Naxalite-affected areas to flush out the rebels.

“We carried out search operation in villages under Rajpur, Chenari and Dinara police stations on Thursday. The personnel of the Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the central paramilitary force have been engaged in the operation against the Maoists,” assistant superintendent of police (Naxal) Binod Kumar Mandal said.

Deputy superintendent of police (Dehri) Mohammad Ali Ansari said a hardcore Maoist was arrested from Manoharpur village under Dinara police station during the operation. But dreaded Maoist leader Rajesh alias Toofani managed to escape from Rajpur, he added.