KHUNTI: In a bid to put an end to the very genesis of the current form of distorted 'Patthalagdi,' currently being practiced in some tribal pockets of Jharkhand, the State Government is planning to do parallel 'Patthalgadi' describing true interpretation of the Constitution for the tribals living in Khunti.
Meanwhile, the three policemen, abducted from the residence of BJP MP Karia Munda from his village allegedly by 'Patthalgadi' supporters on Tuesday, were finally released on Friday morning and were safe and in good health.
"As 'Patthalgadi' is being done by misguiding the innocent villagers through wrong interpretation of the Constitution, we are planning to do it in their way by putting a board or something like that just beside it having true interpretation of Constitution of India written on it," said the IG. In the meantime, villagers are also being made aware with the actual interpretation of Constitution through various other medium, he added. Deputy Commissioner Suraj also asserted that special drive was being conducted among the villagers in the region through Gram Sabha and public meetings.
"After the awareness drive conducted by the district administration, the villagers themselves have started making true interpretation of the Constitution through Gram Sabha and organizing public meetings which indicates that we are gradually moving towards our objective," said the DC.
Recently, two lakh pamphlets were distributed among villagers in the 67 'Patthalgadi' affected villages in Khunti, which seems to have started making impact on them, he added. Meanwhile, messages supporting 'Patthalgadi' written on school and government buildings in the region will be removed immediately through by doing painting on their walls, the DC said.
Earlier holding a joint press conference, the DIG, DC and DIG AV Homkar at the office of Superintendent of Police in Khunti, informed that 'Patthalgadi' supporters themselves released the abducted policemen around 40 km from the Syko Police Station after which they reached there walking and informed senior police officers over phone. Referring to the fourth policemen who were also abducted on the same day, the IG said that Nagendra Singh was deployed near the police vehicle to guard it while other policemen were put on the search operation.
"Singh was abducted accidentally when he had gone to fetch water near MPs residence at the same time when 'Patthalgadi' supporters attacked the place and abducted the three house guards," said the IG. He was not having any arms and was a part of 'lathi-party.' The IG further said that the Police were adopting a strategy of persuasion and strict action - and efforts are being made to identify the people behind it so that strict action will be taken against them and others who are not directly involved in it, will be convinced that it would not be in their interest to get involved in such activities.
Later in the evening, the arms, magazines and bullets, taken away along with the policemen by 'Patthalgadi' supporters, were also recovered hidden under a heap of hay during search operation on Friday.