By Shambhu Nath Choudhary Ranchi Sep 4, : In the years in the years 2004 and 2005, Reela alias Mala, 12 year old tribal girl who was from Khartabeda village in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district, was systematically removed from her family by Maoists.Seventeen years have been passed since then, but she did not return to her home village.
Mala wandered from forest to mountains, carrying weapons with Maoist commanders.In the time her parents died and she had only one brother in the family.She worked as an everyday wage laborer.
In the evening of September 2, village residents of the village received the information that Mala was killed in an altercation with the police.
This isn’t the story of Mala all by herself.The lives of many innocent girls were destroyed in Jharkhand due to the influence of Maoist organizations.
There are numerous stories found in the police records which detail how the girls suffered from oppression and exploitation within the organization.These stories have come to light again and repeatedly in the confessions of Maoists who surrendered to the police.
In March of 2020, police and CRPF teams had rescued an unidentified girl from the traps of Maoists in the Gudri police station area in Chaibasa district.She had confessed to officers that Maoists took her from her village in 2017 when she was just 10 years old.young.
In her letter to the police she had stated that a number of male of the members of the (Maoist) group as well as the commander of the region was known to physically abuse her.If she was protesting, she was beaten up and threatened with death.
PC Di alias Prishila Devi, a female Maoist who surrendered before Dumka police in June of this year She had made public statements that women and girls in the Maoist organizations endure daily atrocities.
She was promoted to the rank of sub-zonal leader within the organisation however, despite this she was an victim of abuse.
As she laid down her arms in front of the police she stated that she was pleased that she was able to get out of that cycle of brutality and abuse But there are many women who it isn’t easy to break out of the siege.
In the month of July, 2021 Maoist commandos Usha Kisku as well as Sarita Soren, who had a one lakh rupees in reward were arrested and surrendered prior to the arrest of Hazaribagh SP Karthik S.
According to 27-year-old Usha, she wanted to learn and attain a high place in life, however, about 15 years ago Maoists forced her to join in their child squad.Prior to that, her task was to inform the group when the police were in their territory.
In 2009, she was inducted into the armed squad .Her name was changed from Phoolmani as Phoolmani Usha Santhali.She said that it’s extremely difficult for women in the organization.
Similar to that, Sarita Soren alias Mamta Santhali, resident of Dhukru Tola Harli village in Hazaribagh was inducted into the organization at the age of 13.She was bored with having weapons in her possession and obeying the orders of Maoist commanders, and felt at peace after leaving the group.
In May of 2015, as per the statements made by the hard-core Maoists Lalita, Sunita and three other girls who were arrested by Hazaribagh police it is in the nature of Maoist leaders to sexually exploit women and girls.
Former Maoists Shobha Marandi and Uma Shikha, who went by the name Shikha who surrendered in the year 2010, published in their memoir that the lives of women in Maoist camps is the most difficult because they are abused physically.
They outlined the atrocities that they had suffered they write in the memoir that their commander had assaulted them multiple times over the span of seven years.This was the case when they were the head of a group of 25-30 heavily armed Maoists.
A woman Maoist commander Sunita known as Shanti who was arrested in Lohardaga in Jharkhand in 2011 was able to reveal that she was enlisted into the Maoist group under gunpoint.
According to Sunita, Poonam Kumari, an occupant of Ghaghra village was sexually assaulted and when she attempted to escape from the village, the male commanders instructed her to shoot Poonam which she had to do.
A IPS officer from Jharkhand stated that tribal girls who live in rural areas in remote areas are the soft targets of Maoist groups.When the police carry out operations against Maoists and Maoists, they employ women or girls to protect themselves, he said.
The benefit of having women in Maoist groups is that police will not view women with suspicion.
Despite the plight of women inside the organization there are a lot of women Maoist leaders who are a problem for the Jharkhand police.
Of of the 136 Maoists in the state, to whom police have declared rewards seven of them are women.
Of them, Bela Sarkar alias Panchami alias Deepa Sarkar as well as Poonam alias Jova alias Bhavani alias Sujata have been awarded a reward of 15 lakhs each, and an award of 5 lakh is announced for Jayanti alias Rekha as well as Bullu alias Gauri.
Similar to that, Merina Sircar and Mita alias Nayantara alias Jhumpa alias Pari are rewarded of 1 lakh rupees on their heads.
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