A village in Jharkhand bears a strange sight as children of a local school carry bows and arrows as they fear Maoists in the area. Pochani village, which is around 80 km from Jameshdpur is a tribal area where Maoists are found.
“Strange men make gestures at us”
Speaking to NDTV, Budhu Sabar, a Pochpani resident said, “Some unidentified people have been seen in the jungle. They make gestures and call us. But as we move in groups and carry bows-and-arrows, they don’t dare to come close.”
They carry arrows and bows for self-defence against the Maoists. Kala Sabar, a student, while talking to NDTV said, “These people are not from here. They speak in an alien language. We are afraid of them, and because of that, we carry bows and arrows to the school.”
The students carry bows and arrows with themselves because even with the threat, they have no intentions of missing school and miss on their studies. According to a report by Mirror Now, a local claimed that the children have to pass through a jungle where Naxal activities have been observed. The nearby residents of Singhbum district are traumatised by the Naxal activities, not only adults but children.
#Jharkhand: Children of naxal affected Chakulia’s Pochpani village carry bow & arrows to school to protect themselves from Naxals. Local says, "The children have to pass through forest area where a number of naxals have been spotted." pic.twitter.com/TJJlSRsTxG
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
The school in the village does not have any Naxal influence. They not only carry bow and arrow but also walk too carefully just making sure they do not make any sound while walking.
Talking to NDTV, a local resident, Ram Chandra Mardy, said, “If we get afraid of them now, they will try to scare us more,” he says.
The Logical Indian take
It is very disturbing to see students struggling for education so much as to carry self-defence weapons. It is not a proven fact that Maoists have a territory in the jungle, it still is a matter of grave concern for the entire state. While it is encouraging to see that these students have a zeal for learning, it is also important to take care of their safety.
