Naxal Diktat Falls Flat, Ram Temple Reopens After 21 Years in Bastar Village
Ayodhya-like celebration was witnessed at a remote tribal village in Sukma district under south Bastar after the local Lord Rama temple, closed by Naxals 21 years ago, was reopened recently. The tribals in Kerlapenda village approached a security camp, established by CRPF’s 74th battalion in the nearby Lekhpal village recently, and requested that the local Ram temple, believed to be built in 1970 by a seer from Bihar, be reopened.
“Naxals had issued a diktat prohibiting the locals from paying a visit to the Lord Rama temple in Kerlapenda in 2003. The ultras had even caused damages to the temple and locked it then”, a police officer said.
According to a CRPF officer, the temple was first spotted by a search team of CRPF’s 74th battalion during an area domination operation in the area a month ago. It was in a dilapidated condition. The local villagers later approached the security forces to reopen the temple.
Kerlapenda is barely 10 km from Tadmetla where the Naxals massacred 76 CRPF personnel on April 6, 2010.
“The Ram temple in the village of Kerlapenda, closed by the Maoists 21 years ago, was reopened recently following the initiative taken by the local tribals. The establishment of a CRPF camp in Lekhpal has changed the security situation in the area bringing confidence among the local tribals'', Bastar range inspector general of police P. Sunderraj told this newspaper on Tuesday.
The village erupted in joy when the temple was reopened on Sunday by a CRPF team, police said.
