Sleepless in fear: Why vigilant groups, guards walk the night in Bengal’s tribal villages

The villages in Gopiballpur, Jhargram, Sankrail, Jamboni areas in Jhargram district and Kharagpur 1, Keshiyari, Shalboni, Garbeta-II of blocks under Paschim Midnapore district are most affected by such rumours.

Superintendent of Police, Jhargram, Manav Singla said, “These are rumours. First, we tried to identify the actual culprit but failed. Then we realised these are rumours. We are monitoring social media and have our own network. We are yet to identify the root. Simultaneously, we have stepped up night patrolling and awareness programmes at the villages.”

Superintendent of Police, Paschim Medinipur, Palash Chandra Dhali, said, “The rumours originated from Jhargram and spread to other places. We are conducting awareness drives in villages. We have also intensified night patrolling.”

In Kherejora village, people aged between 18 and 60 years were seen keeping vigil at night.

“I have been sleeping just for one or two hours per day since last week. We don’t have any options. Suddenly our village was under the grip of fear,” said 25-year-old Uttam Mahato who works as a labourer in Gidhni Railyard.

His father, 58-year-old Kartick Mahato, who too was in the group, said, “I have only one son. So we have no other option. Sometimes, I keep vigil so that Uttam can take some rest.”

Typically, night vigil starts every evening around 8 pm and continues till about 4 am. Armed with torches, lathis and even axes, youths patrol the village, including its borders along a forest.

After night patrolling started in the Kherejora village about seven days back, Hemanta Mahato (20) and his father have been taking turns. “We have a flower shop. My father opens his shop at 7 am. I keep vigil from 8 pm to 3 am. Then I go to sleep. I join my father at our shop at 9 am. It is a question of our village’s security.”

“We have heard that miscreants and outsiders have tried to barge into a nearby village at night. It’s very difficult in this weather but I have to stay up at night as I am the only male member of the family,” said 48-year-old Ramesh Mahato.

Women of the Kherejora village, though not engaged in night patrolling, have also been spending sleepless nights. Amrita Mahato (65) said, “We have heard miscreants knocking on doors. If you open it, they will enter your house and snatch away your belongings, including your Aadhar card.”

“We sit in our courtyards in groups. When the male members are keeping vigil around the village, how can we go to sleep?” she added.

About five kilometres away in Tulsibani, another group of villagers were seen making rounds.

Twenty-four-year-old Niloy Mahato, a farmer, said, “Unidentified people are entering our village and trying to create nuisance. We have to stop them. So, the villagers have decided to keep vigil at night. Ten to fifteen youths of the village are patrolling at night with bamboo, sticks and axes.”

However, when asked if they have any evidence to back their claim, they said they have heard it from others.

“We don’t have a fixed time to sleep. For the last week, my father, younger brother and I have been taking turns to guard at night. We can’t take any risk,” said stationary shop owner Prabir Mahato (27).

“I have heard that two days back, some people entered the nearby Salkha village and knocked on a door,” said Pradip Mahato (46), an e-rickshaw driver. But Pradip too said he hasn’t seen any intruder.

Nilu Mahato (56) said, “Everybody asked me to stay away from this as my age won’t permit but how can I? My son works as a daily wage labourer in Odisha. During the day, almost every day, I go to Jamshedpur to sell sal leaves and sal branches. I return in the afternoon, take some rest and come out for patrolling at night.”

Meanwhile, political parties have also expressed concern over the issue and alerted the police.

“It’s true that such rumours are spread by word of mouth and social media. We have held meetings with our leaders in the blocks and villages. Every time we have found that the incidents are just rumours. We have also alerted the police. They have increased patrolling during the night. So far the situation is under control,” said Birbaha Hansda, TMC MLA from Jhargram and minister of state for Forests and Consumer Affairs.

Tufan Mahato, BJP Jhargram district president said, “These are rumours since we don’t have any evidence yet. We have alerted the police. Only after arrests will we know the origin of such rumours. But the locals are united and guarding their villages.”