FORCED CHANDA COLLECTION GOING ON WITH IMPUNITY

FORCED CHANDA COLLECTION GOING ON WITH IMPUNITY

20-OCT-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------Forced Chanda (donation) collection by hoodlums has become a major irritant for bus passengers, truck drivers, commuters, school children, businessmen, local residents of different areas and even the common men in Bhojpur district.

Youths stop buses at every chowk and market and clash with the drivers and conductors demanding money in the name of puja celebrations. They even hurl bricks and stones at the vehicles if the drivers did not cough up ‘adequate’ amount.

This year, the chanda collectors are targeting schools and residential areas as well. They barge into a school or house in groups and compel people to part with whatever amount they demand. If anyone dared to refuse, they threaten him or her with dire consequences.

Some harassed bus and truck drivers said it was being done allegedly in connivance with the certain district administration and police officials. One Mangal Singh, a truck driver, says, “Festivals are a curse”. He is scared of entering the State with his laden truck. There is no such forced collection in adjoining States like Utter Pradesh, said he.

These hoodlums put up barricades at several places forcing the vehicles to stop. The amount is fixed between Rs. 151 to Rs. 1000, depending on the bargain.

According to locals, some criminals of the area have also joined hands with these ‘extortionists’. They terrorize businessmen and schools owners in the name of these criminals and the hapless people have no option but to part with the money. In fact ‘Chanda’ collection goes on throughout the year albeit on different pretext, be it the New Year, Saraswati Puja, Holi, Ramnavami, Muharram, Dipawali, Id or  Chhatha.

According to a rough estimate, a bus owner operating in between Buxar-Patna, Sasaram-Patna via Ara and Ara-Mohania has to shell out Rs. 50,000 each year as ‘Chanda’.

The miscreants adopted different methods to operate in the cover of darkness so that the residents of the area cannot inform the police.

Some criminal cases have been instituted in this connection in different police stations in the past, but hardly any action has been reported. Meanwhile, bus owners have threatened to keep their vehicles off the roads if the administration did not stop forcible collection of ‘Chanda’.

Bhojpur SP, Pramod Kumar Yadav said that the police were keeping vigil to control the forcible Chanda drive round the clock and the hoodlums and added he had instructed to book those found collecting chanda forcibly or indulge in anti-social activities. He said if such case is reported, stern action would be taken against the hoodlums and chanda collectors.