Voters standing in
a queue outside a polling station in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur constituency
waited patiently for their turn and when a woman police constable walked out
after exercising her franchise, they didn’t take note as there was no apparent
reason to do so.
For constable
Sumitra Sahu, 34, this was the first occasion in her life, which took a turn
for the better in December 2018, to participate in the poll process as a voter.
Before December
five years ago, Sahu donned brownish-green fatigue and carried a gun as an
active commander of the Aamdai Area Committee of Maoists in Narayanpur.
On Tuesday, voting
was held in 20 constituencies during the first phase of the State Assembly
polls amid Maoist violence, officials said.
“I joined the
police force in January 2019. I am happy that for the first time, I have
exercised my franchise on Tuesday,” she told PTI.
During elections –
dubbed the festival of democracy – Maoists in LWE-affected areas often threaten
people against participating in the voting process but thanks to the efforts
taken by the police and poll officials, voting can be held.
This was evident
on Tuesday when a provisional turnout of around 71 per cent was recorded in the
first phase of the state assembly elections for 20 constituencies.
A resident of
Kadenar village in Narayanpur district, Sahu joined Naxalism in 2004 as a
member of Chetna Natya Mandli – a cultural wing of outlawed CPI (Maoists). She
was recruited by then East Bastar Division secretary Urmila, a dreaded Maoist
leader.
During elections,
including parliamentary, assembly and panchayat she was also tasked to spread
propaganda of the boycott call given by Maoists, said Sahu.
After her 6-7
colleagues were killed in encounters with police and a police camp set up in
her village Kadenar, she quit Naxalism in December 2018 and joined the police
force in 2019. She initially served as a ‘gopniya sainik (secret trooper) and
was later elevated as a constable, Sahu added.
On Tuesday,
residents of 126 villages in the Bastar division rejoiced as polling stations
were set up for the first time in their villages since Independence in seven
Left Wing Extremist (LWE) affected districts, a statement issued by the poll
authority said.
PTI
