PWG way of catching them young

By K.M. Dayashankar

KOYYUR, SEPT. 15. The outlawed People's War Group, which has been at the receiving end following the recent anti-naxalite operations and surrender of top cadre in Karimnagar district, is resorting to forcible recruitment of innocent rural youths into its fold.

The naxalites are luring illiterate teenage youths into their fold, promising `freedom' for them from the clutches of slavery. Though they abducted a 12-year-old girl in the forests and forced her to join their fold four months ago, it came to light only a few days back when the parents approached the Koyyur police. Shanigaram Amrutha (12), daughter of Sammaiah and Saramma, of interior Vallemkunta village under Koyyur police station limits, about 100 km away from the district headquarters, has now become a dalam member of the local guerrilla squad.

In the village -- surrounded by thick forests -- it was found out that nine youths had joined the naxalite fold recently. However, five persons -- I. Mondaiah, S. Sammaiah, Boda Thirupati, Adepu Sammaiah and D. Veeraiah, dalam members, -- were killed in encounters. The other four persons -- Nara Posham, B. Laxmi, Pasula Posham and Amrutha -- were functioning as dalam members.

Talking to The Hindu, Sammaiah said he had arranged the marriage of Amrutha to a boy from Chityal in Warangal district and had assured a dowry of Rs. 5,000 to the groom. He said Amrutha, who also works in the fields, was forcibly abducted by the naxalites and added that he had searched for her in the forests but in vain. "Now, no one will like to marry my daughter, even if she returns. I feel humiliated," he said and appealed to the naxalites to release his daughter.

In the same village, 13-year-old Suguna, sister of Pasula Posham, is the sole bread earner for the family. She has two brothers and two sisters and an ailing father. Her mother died of tuberculosis. Suguna works as agricultural labourer to feed her family.

"What did my brother (anna) achieve by joining the naxalite dalam when my family was on the road without food," she snapped. When queried, the villagers said they had no idea when the dalam members visit their village. "We have enough employment opportunities and food but the gullible youth are joining the dalams only to get killed", they regretted.

The Superintendent of Police, Dr. R.S. Praveen Kumar, said the naxalites were forcibly inducting innocent youths into their fold. "No father has wilfully surrendered his children to the naxalite movement. The naxalites are forcibly abducting the children and youths with false promises," the SP alleged.

The naxalites were not even allowing the youths to meet their parents, he added.

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Section  : Southern States
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