I made a study of the History of the Fort from the Shahabad Gazetteer, and from the Journal of Shahabad of Francis Buchanan, kept during his survey in 1812-13. The work of Shyam Sundar Tiwari on Rohtas also enriched my knowledge.

Rohtas had been affected by Maoist activity for more than 2 decades. The district was geographically very challenging for regular policing. A large part of the district consisted of hilly areas covered by dense forests. The Kaimur Hills which originate near the Banks of the Sone in Rohtas, further extend to the Sonebhadra district in Uttar Pradeshand thereafter to the Vindhya Ranges.

The hills also extended southward to the Chotanagpur plateau, and provided an easy travel zone for Maoists right from Andhra Pradesh via Chattisgarh and Jharkhand to plains of Bihar.

The Maoists called this zone as the Sone Ganga Vindhyachal zone. From times immemorial, the Kaimur hills had always proved as a challenge to any invader. The invincibility and strength of the Fort has been mentioned by several chroniclers like Ferishta and travelers like Tavernier. So much so, that the Forts of Rohtasgarh and Shergarh situated on the top of Kaimur Hills, have been believed to be invincible by means of direct war in history. They had always been captured by deceitful means.

Till the advent of the Maoists in recent history, the hills were known for dacoits. The menace of dacoits had also been documented during Mughal Rule. Presently, the hills of the 2 districts of Rohtas and Kaimur have also been notified as a wildlife sanctuary.


The hills presented a tough challenge for policing as there was no police post above the hills in Rohtas district. The only post on Kaimiur Hills was at Adhaura in Kaimur district. The distance from Rohtas PS situated at the foot of the Rohtas Fort (at a height of 1500 ft) to Adhaura is about 45 kms.

To be continued.....