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Introduction: It is just one of the gangs with strange names thriving in Araria, Kishanganj, Purnea and Katihar districts in Bihar
Come to Purnea to die, goes an old saying. There was a time when people in the area fell like flies to malaria. These days, criminals seem to have taken the place of mosquitoes and, in the process, have made sure that the saying is still relevant. Armed with sophisticated weapons, they spew blood and terror in the villages and towns of Araria, Kishanganj, Purnea and Katihar districts, which fall under Purnea division in Bihar.
In the last five years 1,300 persons have been killed, 1,104 persons kidnapped, 1,048 women raped and 16 banks looted in the division. Those killed include grains merchant Bhawarlal Lakho, fertiliser manufacturer Ashish Singh, cloth merchant Pradeep Chaudhary and automobile dealer Bablu Sharma.
People are so scared that they don't want to be quoted on the issue, and journalists are afraid to report such crime. "Not a single newspaper had the courage to publish the pictures of some criminals we arrested recently," said Superintendent of Police K.C. Surendra Babu.
The most notorious of the gangs is the North Bihar Liberation Army (NBLA), headed by Shanker Singh of Aliganj village. Formed in 1999, the gang has more than 100 trained men, of whom 10 are active. Shanker, 30, carries a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head, but that has not stopped him from moving about freely. A few months ago, he was seen sitting in the official vehicle of the district magistrate and extorting money.
Shanker is also involved in kidnapping, smuggling and proxy contracts in civil, excise and railway departments. "He makes up to Rs 50 lakh a year as cuts from railway contracts," said Babu. Shanker has his supporters in the district council and Babu admitted that many businessmen have left Purnea for Kolkata and Delhi because of extortion threats.
Most of the gangs have political godfathers. Faizan Party, headed by Awadhesh Mandal, is indirectly linked to the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal. Awadhesh's wife, Bima Bharti, is an independent MLA from Rupauli who supports the RJD. Awadhesh, who has 50 armed men at his disposal, is accused of kidnapping government teachers for ransom, besides extortion. He also carries a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head and the police, as in the case of Shanker, do not have his picture. However, sources in the police said that Awadhesh was spotted in Patna with his wife.
White Ant Army is an unusual name for a band of criminals. Bikra Paswan, who heads the gang, is involved in dacoity and smuggling of cattle from India to Bangladesh. He apparently has the blessings of a former Union minister.
Interestingly, the chairman of the state Vigilance and Grievances Board, Zakir Mian Khan, MLA, also has his own outfit. Based in Araria district, the Zakir Anwar Bairag gang is mainly into extortion, smuggling and proxy contracts. Zakir, who hails from Jogbai on the Indo-Nepal border, has 12 criminal cases against him. He fought the 2000 elections from jail as a Bahujan Samaj Party candidate and has since shifted his loyalties to the RJD.
"Zakir is involved in all sorts of crime," said Dewanti Devi of Jogbani. "He killed my husband. His younger brother Khurshid collected Rs 20 lakh from businessmen to get the 6-km road from Bathnaha to Jogbani repaired. The road was not repaired, nor was the money given back."
Zakir denied the charges. "My district is crime-free compared to the other districts," he told The Week. "Bhagwan Yadav, a notorious criminal from my area, got me framed in the cases."
Other gang leaders include Deena Yadav, Damdami Yadav, Ras Bihari Mandal, Dara Mian and Satwa Mandal. The Damdami gang gained notoriety after the gangrape of a dozen anganwadi workers at Navgachian in the late 90s. Damdami was arrested recently.
Pappu Deo, who hails from Saharsa district, is another don whose name evokes much fear. He was involved in the kidnapping of Gyanchand Dugger, vice-president of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, from Virat Nagar. Dugger was released at Dhamdaha in Purnea after his relatives paid Rs 5 crore as ransom.
Business and industry in Purnea division have suffered because of the threats from the outfits. Most of the rice, paper and sugar mills have been closed whereas the jute industry is on the verge of ruin. "The business community is living in constant fear," said Deputy Inspector-General Abhaya Kumar Upadhyaya. "We need better communication and transport to check crime."
It is also a fact that the people have lost faith in the police. "We never register complaints against the gangs," said a textile merchant in Purnea, who obviously wanted to remain anonymous. According to Upadhyaya, the people lost faith in the police because they failed to arrest the chiefs of the NBLA and the Faizan Party. "The police have located their hideouts and they will be arrested shortly," he said. "We recently arrested a founder-member of the NBLA, Birendra Singh, and killed two members of the Faizan Party."
Like in politics, caste plays a major role in the success of these gangs. While the NBLA has the support of the Rajputs, the Faizan Party has the backing of the Tantos. Pappu Deo is the messiah of the Bhumihars in the border districts. "They all have the sole motive of getting into politics one day," said Upadhyaya.
Dozens of innocent people have lost their lives in violent clashes between the gangs. "The NBLA twice attacked the native village of Awadhesh Mandal and killed over a dozen people belonging to a particular caste," said Babu.
The police blame the Central Customs Department for the booming smuggling industry in the region, which is a big lure for the gangs. Over the years a number of smuggling syndicates have come up in the area. "Customs officers take bribes to provide safe passage for contraband goods," said a sub-inspector in Araria. Customs officers defended themselves saying that it was impossible for just 20 constables to man the 200-mile Indo-Nepal border. They accused the police of not cooperating with them.
As the blame game progresses, the
gangs continue to suck money out of the people and sting those who refuse
to comply.
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