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Villagers fighting crime their own way in Orissa

M I Khan in Bhubaneshwar

Faced with an ineffective local administration, a cluster of villages in Orissa has developed a novel way to fight crime.

In Khurda district, about 60 km from the state capital Bhubaneshwar, people from five villages have formed a 'Marana Sena', a civilian force to fight crime. "When we found that the local administration, including the police, is useless, we had no option but to protect ourselves," said Kamna Patnaik of Ratnapur village under Kuhudi gram-panchayat.

The civilian force was formed by residents of Kuhudi, Birbadi, Chuatangi, Chakadipur and Ratnapur villages two months ago. "The Marana Sena was outcome of increasing crime in the area," said Gagan Behra of Birbadi village.

A villager said that Sena was formed last September after dacoits struck Ratnapur village and attacked a family before decamping with Rs 100,000 worth of valuables. After the robbery, a group of youth and elders of the five villages discussed measures to check crime by their own initiative. "That day our civilian force was born," Behra said.

With Marana Sena activists now guarding the villages, villagers feel safe. "All the villages take turns," said Parsuram Sahoo of Ratnapur.

The Sena has registered members, who are deployed for night duty and patrolling. The Sena has a 10-member executive committee headed by the sarpanch of Kuhudi.

The formation of the civilian force has also inspired other villagers.

The villagers claim that despite police knowing the whereabouts of criminals they never bother to arrest them and try to raid their hide-outs.

The formation of the Sena has drastically reduced crime. Not a single case of robbery or any other crime was reported in the five villages. Even police officials in the district headquarters acknowledged the effectiveness of the civilian force.

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