Government had launched an initiative 32 years ago to rehabilitate Paswan community of Thadi Jhinja in Netragunj of Sarlahai with a view to bring them into the mainstream society. [break]
The recent arrest of Amarpati Paswan alias Kanchha, however, is a telltale sign of how many community members are far from reformed.
The police not only recovered some amount of cash and weapons from Kanchha but also learnt about the involvement of other members of the community. "We raided the area after the arrest of Kanchha," Superintendent of Police, Pradhumna Karki told Republica, adding, "and everything became clear after that."
Dinesh Paswan, 28, Shambhu Paswan, 32, Gautam Paswan, 36, Sundar Paswan, 42 and Gunasagar Paswan, 35, are allegedly other members of the gang of dacoits who robbed huge amount of cash and other valuables from 11 houses of Kataharia and Dangraha a few days ago.
The Morang police said they have intensified manhunt to arrest the four others who have been on the run since the robbery.
All the members of the gang are reportedly from the families who were rehabilitated 32 years ago.
About two hundred Paswan families live in ward no 1 and 2 of Netragunj. “Though most of the Paswans of the settlement have changed, some people continue to rob people,” Dewananda Paswan, former president of Netragunj VDC, said. He claimed that most of the male members of rehabilitated families hold good jobs as police, teachers, health workers and some have gone abroad for employment.
According to locals of Netragunj, some people who have not yet discarded robbery often go out of the district to make big through robbery. “Dacoits of Netragung and Jhinjha were trying to operate from Morang,” SP Karki said. “We averted them from doing so by arresting them.”
“They spend a long time planning a robbery and devising ways to distract police,” a police officer said.
Other Paswans who are on the list of absconders are Jamahir Paswan, 30, Ranjit Paswan, 28, Ramesh Paswan, 30, and Narendra Paswan, 25. The police said they too went into hiding after carrying out a robbery.
Related story
Rehabilitated dacoit community returning to crime
