Odisha: Tribals Turn Soldiers To Safeguard Villages In Swabhiman Anchal

Malkangiri: Rattled by the unending Maoist violence that has crippled developmental activities in their areas, tribals in the Swabhiman Anchal in the district have geared up to safeguard their villages from the grip of ultras.

Armed with traditional weapons like bows-arrows, axe, daggers and sticks, hundreds of residents from villages across the district have intensified patrolling around their villages with a commitment to foil any attempt of the left wing extremists to infiltrate into their areas.

The residents of Panasput and Jonaamba in the Swabhiman Anchal, which are considered to be a Maoist hotbed, have prepared themselves to face the rebels and to protect human lives and properties.

They said they have turned soldier to teach the radical extremists a lesson. “From dawn to till late in the night, we move around the village in groups. We are giving special protection to our women as the Maoists are targeting them when the later go to streams or water bodies to collect water away from the village,” said a member of the village vigilante committee.

"We have to protect our village as the Maoists continue to inflict damage to our lives and properties. Even we can't go to the local forest to collect firewood. We have kept a close watch on their movement because they could sneak into the locality at any time to create nuisance. We will rather sacrifice our lives, but can't bow down before them", he added.

Another local as ‘soldier’ said "We don't need any help from the Maoists. We will cooperate with police. We have been spending a fearful life for long. We have lost everything to the rebels. But, now-a-days we are feeling safe due to the deployment of police personnel."

It is may be noted that Left Wing Extremists (LWE) have been posing hurdles in all kind of welfare activities of the government in the tribal dominated areas for decades.  However, the quantum of Maoist violence has declined in the last few years due to calibrated action by security forces and government policies encouraging Maoist cadres to surrender.