An Escape From the Clutches of the Maoists

Swaraj Navandar and Vania D’Souza, 11th June 2021   The Naxalite-Maoist insurgency is an ongoing conflict between Maoist groups known as Naxalites and the Indian Government. Nearly 8000 civilians have been killed since 1997 and the overall loss of life stands to be almost 15,000. The insurgency gained international media attention after the 2013 Naxal attack in Darbha Valley which resulted in the deaths of around 24 Indian National Congress leaders.   The Naxalites operate in over 60 districts in India. Taking civilians into their internal army and getting them to do their dirty work is a part of their modus operandi. One of the victims include Mr. Bhagat, also known as Sadhu, who is a resident of the Boorgoom district in Chhattisgarh. He joined the Naxals in 2013 where he worked as a labourer in a gun factory. He is the father of three children, Munni (5 years), Panto (15 years) and Jogi (no recollection of age). Upon asking about his experience in the Naxal community, he shared a little of his journey.   “We were about 9-10 men who stayed in one room. They bought food for us and distributed it, but they would give us no money. There were days where we were trained to hold, use and reload a gun. We were instructed to roam around in civil clothes, spy and eavesdrop on the police officers. One day in 2015, we were at an encounter with police officers and one of them was shot. It was devastating to watch and live in that moment. I wanted to return home, I just didn’t know how, because they wouldn’t leave me. That’s when I decided to run away. I was caught by police officers on the run. They interrogated me. I was scared but I got out of the conversation. It was in August 2020 that I surrendered. Thankfully, my family did not face any issues after surrendering. Today, I work at Karli in the DRG (District Reserve Guard.) My friends and family are safe,” says Bhagat.   Like Bhagat, there are thousands of such victims that get lured into working for the Naxals. Underprivileged people and locals who are daily migrants and workers fall prey to this system and if they are caught surrendering, their family is thrown out of the village. Such a conflict that’s tearing the country from within needs to be fought against.
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