As I reached Valmikinagar, I noticed an ASI moving on a motorcycle and learnt that he was searching for us in the jungles as the DIG at Bettiah was very worried and concerned about our whereabouts. We had no communication with the outside world for all these three nights and returning to Valmikinagar where we could see proper markets seemed like a return back to civilization. After reaching Bagaha in the day, I called up the DIG and informed him about what had surpassed in the three preceding nights and he was awestruck having been worried all the time as 1 SP, 1 DSP and 4 O/c’s of the district had been missing and out of reach of communication for so long. The district had remained peaceful all these days and very soon I funnily experienced that the district always remained peaceful whenever I camped out.

As times passed…

With such adventures and more coming as a routine, times passed on well in Bagaha with me busy in the campaign against the Dasyu gangs of the diaras and the Maoists of the Forests. I moved out more and more in inaccessible reaches of the district and talked to people generating confidence during the interactions. I had developed a network of good informers and public following by March. After Holi, the weather changed as summers approached and allowed for more clear visibility in the jungles. The surrender campaign gained momentum as criminals started surrendering possibly taking a cue from the Maoists from March onwards. The sugarcane seizure campaign and continued raids started making their effect on the minds of criminals as a positive atmosphere was generated due to sustained counselling of the family members of the outlaws. The surrender campaign and the adventures that went along side are part of another detailed chapter and thus I would end this chapter on the ‘Bagaha Adventures’ with the account of another very adventurous night spent by the river under forced circumstances towards the end of June, 2007.

To be continued...