C’garh: ‘Naxal-free’ Abujhmad Set to Celebrate Diwali After 2 Decades

Raipur: Abujhmad under south Bastar in Chhattisgarh is set to celebrate Diwali on Monday for the first time after two decades, becoming free of Maoists, 210 of whom had surrendered en masse on October 17.

The Maoists had banned the use of firecrackers in Abujhmad as the practice would confuse them in the forests: They used firecrackers as a mode of communication to identify their location to other units.

“An unusual excitement is noticed among the local tribals ahead of Diwali since they are going to celebrate the festival of lights after almost two decades,” a police officer said, unwilling to be identified.

Reports reaching here from different weekly markets in the semi-interior and interior pockets of Abujhmad said that there has been brisk sale of firecrackers. The firecrackers returned to many weekly markets for the first time after two decades, the police officer said.

“This Diwali is set to remove the darkness in Abujhmad, literally, as the locals are gearing up to celebrate the festival of lights after almost two decades”, a senior officer of Narayanpur district in south Bastar, falling under Abujhmad, told this newspaper, unwilling to be named.