New groups are emerging and old ones are regrouping and Bundelkhand is, once again, witnessing increased dacoit activity.
According to highly-placed sources, the state government has received information that dacoit gangs are planning a major resurgence in the Bundelkhand.
The massacre of five persons of a family in Chitrakoot district two days ago by the Balkhadia dacoit gang and then the escape of 13 prisoners in Banda district is being seen as a part of the plan.
Interestingly, among the escaped prisoners are Chunni Lal, brother-in-law of slain dacoit leader Thokia and Shivmurat Kol, Rammo Kol, Dinesh and Sheelu — all of whom belong to the Radhey gang that was an offshoot of the Dadua gang.
It is noteworthy that the prisoners who escaped from the prison van while returning from a court hearing, also looted the rifles and other arms and ammunition of the security personnel accompanying them.
Despite intensive combing operations and a high alert at all police stations in the region, not even a single of the escaped prisoners have been arrested.
“They were all hardened criminals and owed allegiance to the dacoit groups. There is a strong possibility that they will regroup and unleash terror in the Bundelkhand region once again. Guns had fallen silent in Bundelkhand region after dreaded dacoits like Dadua, Ghanshyam Kevat, Radhey and Thokia were gunned down but the future does not look so peaceful,” admitted a senior police official.
The massacre of five of a family by the Balkhadia gang in Chitrakoot district, according to police sources, is aimed at spreading terror in the area.
“There was no immediate provocation to kill the village headman and his family. Our sources tell us that the family had not supported Balkhadia’s candidate in the assembly polls but dacoit gangs do not wait for five months to take revenge,” the official said.
UP DGP A.C. Sharma and principal home secretary R.M. Srivastava, meanwhile, have started a review of the state of affairs in the badlands of Bundelkhand and if sources are to be believed, a massive administrative reshuffle in the region will be effected soon to brace up the administration and the policing system.