- News>
- Zee Exclusive
Common man`s triumph against terror
Report by: Sanjay SahayProgramme: Special CorrespondentTelecast: Saturday, Oct 11, 9.30 pmRepeat telecast: Thursday, Oct 16, 4.30 pm
Report by: Sanjay Sahay
Programme: Special Correspondent
Telecast: Saturday, Oct 11, 9.30 pm
Repeat telecast: Thursday, Oct 16, 4.30 pm
On August 08, 2003, Lango, a small village of east Singhbhum, shot to fame. And this time, the reason was not innocents killed by naxal militants but vice-versa. In this part of the naxal-affected world, this was the first instance of common man’s triumph against terror.
On that transitional night, nine suspected People’s War activists were “lynched” by armed members of a citizens’ resistance group at the village. The slain rebels included two women People’s War activists from West Bengal’s Midnapore district.
Defiance against naxals was simmering in this village for a long time. Since the time naxalites spread their wings in this area, they had been exploiting the innocent villagers. They would warn the villagers against tilling their land, extort money and food from them, force young boys and girls to join them and physically abuse the women of the area.
To counter the naxals, villagers have formed their own Gram Suraksha Samitis. Enraged Samiti members could not take the suppression any more and fought back.
When naxals threatened the villagers and stopped them from tilling their land, villagers decided to act in this do-or-die situation. Armed to the teeth, they waited for the marauders. As soon as the rebels knocked on the door of the villager whom they had threatened, the resistance group members overpowered and disarmed a large number of them. The rebels were subsequently tied up and beaten with clubs and sticks.
As the news spread, villagers from neighbouring tribal settlements thronged Longo to get a glimpse of the “dead rebels”. The East Singhbum police reached the spot within a couple of hours and heaped praises on the villagers. Pictures of nine mutilated corpses and copious stories made it to the front pages of newspapers and were splashed across the screen. From obscurity, Lango shot to fame overnight.
Going by the euphoria in the corridors of power in Ranchi and the statements of the Director-General of Police, Lango seems to have heralded the beginning of a new battle against extremism — a people’s uprising against terror.
However, the question remains that this is not the end of the problem. Growing resentment among the youth, apathy of the administration and police, growing poverty and lack of employment opportunities adds to the suffering of the poor villagers and allows naxals to overpower them. Probably, a better administration will provide better answr to this problem To counter the naxals, villagers have formed their own Gram Suraksha Samitis. Enraged Samiti members could not take the suppression any more and fought back.
When naxals threatened the villagers and stopped them from tilling their land, villagers decided to act in this do-or-die situation. Armed to the teeth, they waited for the marauders. As soon as the rebels knocked on the door of the villager whom they had threatened, the resistance group members overpowered and disarmed a large number of them. The rebels were subsequently tied up and beaten with clubs and sticks. As the news spread, villagers from neighbouring tribal settlements thronged Longo to get a glimpse of the “dead rebels”. The East Singhbum police reached the spot within a couple of hours and heaped praises on the villagers. Pictures of nine mutilated corpses and copious stories made it to the front pages of newspapers and were splashed across the screen. From obscurity, Lango shot to fame overnight.
Going by the euphoria in the corridors of power in Ranchi and the statements of the Director-General of Police, Lango seems to have heralded the beginning of a new battle against extremism — a people’s uprising against terror.
However, the question remains that this is not the end of the problem. Growing resentment among the youth, apathy of the administration and police, growing poverty and lack of employment opportunities adds to the suffering of the poor villagers and allows naxals to overpower them. Probably, a better administration will provide better answer to this problem.
Defiance against naxals was simmering in this village for a long time. Since the time naxalites spread their wings in this area, they had been exploiting the innocent villagers. They would warn the villagers against tilling their land, extort money and food from them, force young boys and girls to join them and physically abuse the women of the area.
To counter the naxals, villagers have formed their own Gram Suraksha Samitis. Enraged Samiti members could not take the suppression any more and fought back.
When naxals threatened the villagers and stopped them from tilling their land, villagers decided to act in this do-or-die situation. Armed to the teeth, they waited for the marauders. As soon as the rebels knocked on the door of the villager whom they had threatened, the resistance group members overpowered and disarmed a large number of them. The rebels were subsequently tied up and beaten with clubs and sticks.
As the news spread, villagers from neighbouring tribal settlements thronged Longo to get a glimpse of the “dead rebels”. The East Singhbum police reached the spot within a couple of hours and heaped praises on the villagers. Pictures of nine mutilated corpses and copious stories made it to the front pages of newspapers and were splashed across the screen. From obscurity, Lango shot to fame overnight.
Going by the euphoria in the corridors of power in Ranchi and the statements of the Director-General of Police, Lango seems to have heralded the beginning of a new battle against extremism — a people’s uprising against terror.
However, the question remains that this is not the end of the problem. Growing resentment among the youth, apathy of the administration and police, growing poverty and lack of employment opportunities adds to the suffering of the poor villagers and allows naxals to overpower them. Probably, a better administration will provide better answr to this problem To counter the naxals, villagers have formed their own Gram Suraksha Samitis. Enraged Samiti members could not take the suppression any more and fought back.
When naxals threatened the villagers and stopped them from tilling their land, villagers decided to act in this do-or-die situation. Armed to the teeth, they waited for the marauders. As soon as the rebels knocked on the door of the villager whom they had threatened, the resistance group members overpowered and disarmed a large number of them. The rebels were subsequently tied up and beaten with clubs and sticks. As the news spread, villagers from neighbouring tribal settlements thronged Longo to get a glimpse of the “dead rebels”. The East Singhbum police reached the spot within a couple of hours and heaped praises on the villagers. Pictures of nine mutilated corpses and copious stories made it to the front pages of newspapers and were splashed across the screen. From obscurity, Lango shot to fame overnight.
Going by the euphoria in the corridors of power in Ranchi and the statements of the Director-General of Police, Lango seems to have heralded the beginning of a new battle against extremism — a people’s uprising against terror.
However, the question remains that this is not the end of the problem. Growing resentment among the youth, apathy of the administration and police, growing poverty and lack of employment opportunities adds to the suffering of the poor villagers and allows naxals to overpower them. Probably, a better administration will provide better answer to this problem.