Maoists unfurl black flag in Khunti, two days after home minister’s visit
RANCHI: Suspected Maoists unfurled black flags inside the campus of a government school in Kitahatu village under Murhu police station area in Khunti, 40km from here, to oppose Independence Day celebrations, two days after union home minister visited the place to address a public gathering to mark ‘Azadi 70: Yaad Karo Kurbani’ celebrations. The unfurled flag was found in the government school on Monday morning by villagers. It is likely that the flag was unfurled in the wee hours or at night.
Maoists unfurled black flags to send the message that the independence India achieved on August 15, 1947 will not be real independence unless the state is overthrown and the rule of the proletariat is established. In past also Maoists have unfurled black flags in different parts of Jharkhand.
The Maoists were trying to unfurl black flag at another place under Murhu police station when police arrived and detained one of them. “They had erected the pole to unfurl the flag when police arrived. All other managed to escape. The detained person is being interrogated,” said Khunti SP Anish Gupta.
The identity of the detained person has not been disclosed. The unfurling of the black flags has stoked fear among people living in the villages. These villages are located amidst small hills which cause obstacles in anti-Maoist operations. The hills serve as home to Maoists who dominate the areas.
A source in police said a group of Maoists arrived at the school in the wee hours. “The villagers claim that they did not see anyone. They might be lying also,” said the source.