Ranchi, Dec. 9: Gopal Oraon, a tribal farmer of Burhipath village in Maoist-hit Bharno of Gumla, woke up today to see 100 quintals of his harvested paddy, worth Rs 1.5 lakh, reduced to ash.

Non-tribal Shankar Shahi, who kept 60 quintals of paddy worth Rs 60,000 in the same field, shared the same fate. 
Unidentified men torched 160 quintals of harvested paddy in Bharno, around 50km from Gumla district headquarters and 210km from capital Ranchi, late last night. 

But both Gopal and Shankar, who happens to be the cousin of Lohardaga MP and Union minister Sudarshan Bhagat’s local representative Munna Shahi, are yet to lodge a formal FIR. Apparently, both claimed they were too scared and clueless about the arson to lodge an FIR. 

Asked whose field it was, where the paddy was kept, Munna Shahi evaded the question.

Bharno police station OC Dharampal Kumar said both Shankar and Gopal registered separate station diaries against unidentified persons this evening.  

“Shankar did not come to us in the morning. Though Gopal informed us about the incident in the morning, he was reluctant to lodge a written complaint and left the police station. Anyway, both turned up in the evening and registered station diaries. We are keeping a vigilant eye on the case,” the OC said, ruling out rebel involvement.

Since Scheduled Tribes form a sizeable chunk of Maoist stronghold Bharno, a police source said it could be a handiwork of either a rebel outfit or forces opposed to the recent state government amendments in tenancy laws. Shankar’s relationship with Munna, who is known as BJP MP Bhagat’s local man, has triggered these speculations, especially when recently, a section of villagers had raised slogans in front of Bhagat’s house. However, it is not known why Gopal, a tribal farmer, was also a victim.

Asked about the absence of an FIR, Gopal said had no idea of the culprit. “We cannot lodge a named FIRs against anyone without adequate proof. Now it is for the police to bring to book the culprits. I am shattered now,” he said.

Munna also said the involvement of tribals was unlikely since Gopal, a poor tribal himself, had suffered more loss. 
JVM leader Bandhu Tirkey, who unsuccessfully contested the Lohardaga Lok Sabha seat in 2014, asked the police to act judiciously. “It is true resentments prevail among tribals against tenancy amendments. But, it is unlikely that tribals are involved in this arson. Haste will complicate the situation,” he said.