Bantala: 18-years-old Jolly Dehury, a female Maoist who surrendered before Angul police, has said she is yet to receive the promised rehabilitation package from the administration.
Unable to make both ends meet, she has returned to her native Majhipada village, located inside Satkosia reserve forest under Purunakote police limits of Angul district where she continues to live in fear amidst Maoist threat to her life.
According to Jolly, she along with her male companion had been staying at the police barracks as a short term arrangement following her surrender. At that time, she was asked to stay at the barrack until the administration could find her a job in the town. That said, Jolly says she was forced to return to her village as the administration failed to deliver on its promise.
Narrating her journey into the Maoist fold, she says, a team of Maoists had held a meeting inside the Satkosia reserve forest in 2018. In the meeting they made the gullible villagers believe how they had been neglected and tortured by the government, the police and the Forest Department officials. Jolly believed them to be the true sympathisers of the villagers and instantly decided to join the group.
She along with others had to spend nights in camps deep inside the forested areas. The camp she was a part of had ten members, including team head Sushant and two other women.
One day the team had a faceoff with SOG jawans following which they had to change their location to a nearby jungle.
She spent about a month with the rebels. During her stay, she got to know the real motive of the Maoists. Subsequently, she made up her mind to surrender.
She along with a male companion managed to escape the camp and surrendered before Angul DIG and the then superintendent of police. At that time, they were promised a government rehabilitation package. The administration had assured them to pay Rs3.5 lakh cash in account, a piece of land in Angul town, and jobs to earn their livelihood.
They were then kept at the reserve camp at Chheliapada. Later, an amount of Rs 1.48 lakh was credited to her account in two phases-Rs 98, 000 and Rs 50, 000 October 5, 2018.
Jolly alleges she has not been given any promised assistance thereafter. Even though her male companion and she had set up a tea kiosk to make some money, the police shut their shop.
She says she had to return her village last week as the police had given her nothing but some supplies. In the village, her parents support their 10 member family by grazing cattle where she continues to live amidst a looming Maoist threat to her life.
She says if she is given a piece of land in the town, a job, and the rest of the amount as has been promised, it would go a long way in leading a decent life. Besides, this would also make a huge difference in persuading other Maoists to return to the mainstream.
When contacted, Angul superintendent of police Jagmohan Meena said Jolly has been given Rs 1.5 lakh for purchasing land, constructing house, education, marriage and for meeting daily expenses. According to the government rule, she would receive Rs 50, 000 each in October 2019 and October 2020, and Rs 1 lakh more in October 2021.
Northern central range DIG Narasingha Bhol meanwhile said he would only be able to comment after verifying the veracity of Jolly’s allegations.
PNN