This Article is From Dec 28, 2009

McCluskieganj: Paradise lost

McCluskieganj: Tackling Naxal activities is going to be one of the biggest challenges of the new Jharkhand government. Take the case of state's McCluskieganj. Once known as the homeland of anglo-India, the loss that is being felt has little to do with nostalgia and genteel tradition. Residents say they have become soft targets for splinter Naxal groups.

75-year-old Sureshwari Devi's son Shyam Kishore was kidnapped by 14 armed men in June this year. Her husband is an ex serviceman and one son an IAF fighter pilot. They took a loan and paid a ransom of 10 lakh rupees.

Fear and trauma have scattered the family. Shyam Kishore has left McCluskeganj. There are other questions.

"We are worried about how to pay the loan installment of Rs 42,000 every month. We are barely able to run the house with the pension my husband gets. The Government has done nothing for us in this regard," Sureshwari Devi said.

They say the police extended little support. The police did not follow the kidnappers because it was late in the night. Till date they have not conducted proper investigations in the case.

Once again the kidnapping of Shyam Kishore Prasad has exposed the Jharkhand's complete lack of preparedness in combating Naxal activity in the state.

The police disagree, saying they have arrested three of the kidnappers. But over 11 men are yet to be traced.

After the incident, McCluskieganj got a police station and a company of Special Auxiliary Police personnel.

In October last year, four railway officials were abducted by the Jharkhand Prastuti Committee. They were released after 5 days.

Splinter Naxal groups are extorting money from mine owners, from road and bridge contractors.

Many of the residents run hostels for 700 students of Don Bosco school, the focal point of today's McCluskieganj. Two months ago, they received a letter demanding they pay two lakh rupees or else the hostel would be damaged or the son of the owner Judiph Mary Mendonca, would be kidnapped.

Judiph went to the police. Some arrests have been made. But she has kept a 24-hour guard, and has stopped going out after dark. 
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