Tired of being questioned whether they were Maoist sympathizers and also over their political affiliations, the tribal residents of Nedugal Combai village in the Nilgiris have demanded that the police and Forest Department provide them with identity cards certifying that they are locals, and not a threat to state agencies.
Villagers said that the more than 60 Kurumbar families living here felt threatened by heavily armed police personnel conducting regular combing operations and often questioning the reasons as to what they were doing inside the forests.
B.M. Raman, village headman, said that the residents lived in constant fear of being subjected to raids by the armed Naxal Special Division (NSD) police, who conduct regular combing operations in the area. “We used to have farms a little farther away from the village, but have left them fallow because we don't want to be confronted alone inside the forests by the police or forest department personnel,” said Mr. Raman.
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The constant vigilance net cast by the police has been in operation for over a year, after a group of alleged Maoists managed to enter the village of Nedugalcombai, allegedly holding a meeting with the locals and putting up posters in the village before escaping.
Since then, the almost constant police presence in the area has made the villagers feel extremely uneasy, and to a certain extent, insulted. K. Rama, another villager, said that the feeling that they were being constantly monitored even while inside their own homes, where they have lived for many centuries, has caused resentment among the residents.
He also said that they feared that the police and forest personnel would stop them harvesting honey from inside the forests. “The harvesting of forest honey is a tradition and a right which is given to the forest dwellers. If we venture into the forests, the police and Forest Department subject us to questioning and we feel extremely anxious,” said Mr. Rama.
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With the help of the Nilgiri Farmers Producers Company and The Nilgiri Tribal Solidarity group, the villagers petitioned the District Forest Officer (Nilgiris South Division), K. Rajkumar, seeking identity cards with the seal of both the Forest Department as well as the police, certifying that the residents are indeed living in the village and are not outsiders.
Ramesh Raman, from the Nilgiri Farmers Producers Company, said that he had heard the complaints from the tribals when he had come with the state and central government authorities to distribute tribal welfare schemes to residents here. “They have a very simple demand, which can be approved. Such cards will give these people peace of mind and tranquility and will also help build trust between state agencies and the residents,” he said.
K. Rajkumar, the District Forest Officer, said that there was no such scheme which would allow the Forest Department to distribute such cards. He also said that various government agencies were distributing and implementing a variety of welfare measures, including building toilets and distributing utensils and other small necessities. “We can also organise a special camp with the help of the police and the district administration to look into their demands and ascertain how we can help them,” said Mr. Rajkumar.