Bantala: Jolly Dehury, 18, a woman Maoist who surrendered to Angul police, has said that she has not got the promised rehabilitation package from the administration.
Unable to afford two square meals a day, she has returned to her Majhipada village, located inside the Satkosia reserve forest in the Purunakote police limits of Angul district where she continues to live in fear of Maoists.
Jolly said that she and her male companion had been staying at the police barracks for some time after her surrender. At that time, she was asked to stay at the barracks until the administration could find her a job in the town.
Jolly says she was forced to return to her village as the administration failed to deliver on its promise.
Narrating her journey to the Maoist fold, she said Maoists held a meeting inside the Satkosia reserve forest in 2018. At the meeting they made the gullible villagers believe that they had been neglected and tortured by the government, the police and Forest officials. Jolly believed them to be sympathisers of the villagers and instantly decided to join them.
She and others had to spend nights in camps deep inside forests. Her camp had 10 people, including team head Sushant and two other women.
One day, the team had an encounter with SOG troopers and they had to change their location to a nearby jungle.
She spent about a month with the Maoists, saw their real face and decided to surrender.
Jolly and a male companion managed to escape from the camp and surrendered before the Angul DIG and then SP. At that time, they were promised a government rehabilitation package. The administration had assured them Rs 3.5 lakh, a piece of land in Angul town, and jobs.
They were kept at the reserve camp at Chheliapada. Later, Rs 1.48 lakh was credited to her account in two phases, Rs 98,000 and Rs 50,000 October 5, 2018.
Jolly says she was not given any help after this. Even though her male companion and she had set up a tea kiosk, the police shut it down.
She says she had to return to her village last week as the police had given her nothing, but some essential goods.
In her village, her parents support their 10-member family by grazing cattle and 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 rest of the promised money, it would help her to lead a decent life. It would also make a huge difference in persuading other Maoists to return to the mainstream.
When contacted, Angul SP Jagmohan Meena said Jolly has been given Rs 1.5 lakh for purchasing land, constructing a house, education, marriage and for meeting daily expenses.
According to government rules, 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 said he would be able to comment only after verifying Jolly’s allegations.
PNN