Weekly shanties caught in police Maoist crossfire

Khammam: Caught in the crossfire of the police and the Maoists, the ‘Weekly Shanties’ (weekly markets), said to be the lifeline that caters to the needs of people living in forest fringe tribal pockets abutting Chhattisgarh border, came to a grinding halt for the last few weeks. It’s not exaggeration to say that economic, social and cultural life revolves around weekly shanties for the thousands of tribal people.

Adding to their woes, the security forces on either side of the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border has sounded a high alert in the region following the CPI-Maoists’ call to observe ‘Martyrs’ Week’, also known as ‘Janpituri Saptah’, from Tuesday to pay tributes to their slain leaders and cadres.

Interestingly, both the police and the Maoists suspect each other of using the shanties to their own advantage. As a result, the trade in the tribal shanties held in bordering districts of Chhattisgarh is at the mercy of both the police and the Maoists.

While the police believe that there is a possibility of Maoists procuring the provisions in the shanties besides getting information about the police movement in the forest through their sympathisers mingled with the tribal population, the Maoists are of the opinion that the police could use the same shanties to their advantage by identifying their sympathisers and turning them into coverts.

It’s learnt that the police are of the opinion that Maoists have no other go but to come out of thickets to procure the provisions if the shanties are closed. In this backdrop, it’s alleged that security forces on Chhattisgarh side are not allowing the shanties to run at Kistaram, Dharmapet, Boorulanka and other villages in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

Speaking to The Hans India, Bhadrachalam ASP R Bhaskaran said, “There is no objection from our side for the traders to go and do business in Chhattisgarh shanties.” Talking on Martyrs’ Week, he said that routine exercise of combing operations and other activities to curb the Maoist movement in the region is on.

While the shanties make Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh business every week, the Chintoor shanty (now in East Godavari district), is said to be the biggest in the region with an estimated trade of anywhere between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.

The weekly market at Konta (Chhattisgarh) is also prominent among the tribal shanties. Besides this, the security forces have increased combing operations ahead of Maoists’ call to observe Martyrs’ Week from Tuesday to foil any violence during the event.

The CPI-Maoists in the name of Sabari Area Committee purportedly left pamphlets and placed cloth banners appealing to people to make Martyrs’ Week celebrations a big success at Bandirevu under Nellipaka mandal in East Godavari district and at several places in Dummugudem mandal of Khammam district.

Speaking to The Hans India, a trader from Chintoor mandal said that of late they have been facing problems in carrying their business in weekly shanties. He said that they were seen suspiciously even though they have nothing to do with police or Maoists.

By:Adepu Mahender