The major turning point occurred when the money promised under the rehabilitation package was released by the government. In the month of June 2007, the eight naxal families were each given cheques of Rs. 1 Lakh and 19 thousand rupees in a well attended function organized at Harnatar.

The sincerity of the police in making available funds for the rehabilitation was thus proved. The DM of West Champaran had been called to preside over the function inorder to get the administrative support for the rehabilitation, and it worked. After the kidnapping of Mumbai Filmmaker Piyush Kothari by the Gandak Gangs of Bhagar Yadav and Suresh Yadav near the border of the diara in Gopalganj district, there had been no kidnapping for ransom incident for quite some time.

But the dacoit gang of Rajender Choudhary struck this time in the month of May 2007 in a village in Bhairoganj Police Station, and picked up two old farmers. On visiting the site and seeing the pitiable situation of the family, I was struck by the choice of the victims. The two old men were protecting their fields at the night when they were carried away by some dacoit gang towards the jungle. The jungle party had captured its first victims six months after my work had started in Bagaha.

People who had otherwise been talking of the prevailing peace had now started talking that the condfidence of the gangs was now again rising. A challenge had been posed before the Bagaha Police. The police responded by the way of intensive raids in the jungles and in the diara. After some days of tireless efforts, one of the men appeared. He claimed to have run away from the captivity. After about 3 days the other man was also discovered. It was not clear as to what led to their release. The two did not divulge much information to the police. Several rumours were current. 

To be continued....