Lok Sabha Polls 2014: Jangalmahal cops make a friendly offer to Maoists

BELPAHARI: The telltale signs were there. On Friday, Purulia SP Sudhir Kumar made it official by releasing posters appealing to Red rebels to give cops "an opportunity to be their friends".

Around 350km from Kolkata, Jangalmahal is preparing to go to polls on May 7 in the shadow of Maoist threat. They are regrouping and are urging the tribals to go with NOTA.

Frequent movement of CRPF vehicles, suspicion in the eyes of tribals and reticence of a usually garrulous people are telltale signs of the uneasy calm in Jangalmahal, spread across Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts.

"Their presence will intensify police action — nightly raids, picking up boys, holding them without arrest... We are the victims as we get caught between police and Maoists," said farmer Bhrigu Mahato.

Fatik Hembram, a member of Kheria Sabar Kalyan Samiti, said, "If I go to the forest, I will be stopped by police, who will ask what I saw. The chat might last a few minutes but it will be conveyed to Maoists. They will pick me up, suspecting me of being a police informer."

There hasn't been violence since 2011 but the discovery of a cache of arms in Bankura on April 1 has reinforced the idea that the corridor has not been sanitized. Now, the appeal from police leaves no room for doubt.

"We don't want to kill you. Why do you want to rob us of our lives? Police are friends of people. Please give us an opportunity to be your friends," read posters on walls.

The Red corridor covers four Lok Sabha seats — Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia — and forest land in Jharkhand and Odisha. Jhargram, entirely in the belt, will see a five-cornered fight with Jharkhand Party (Naren) playing a role.

Fear of Maoists haunts parties. "We don't feel safe after sundown," said BJP's Harun Baidya, campaigning for its Bikash Mudi.