Maoists make a killing in dry Bihar

Populism is one thing, and making business of it is another. After accepting a huge outgo of Rs 5,000 crore from its revenue kitty post blanket ban on liquor across the state, Nitish Kumar’s Bihar is slowly discovering it might just be tripping on the law & order front. The Maoists, waiting in the wings, are making money on the side after their extortion network suffered a setback. A state intelligence report has warned that Maoists are very much in the business of buying liquor from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand and selling it for a price of their asking in Bihar. The huge profits thus earned are being ploughed back into buying arms and rejuvenating networks in remote areas of the state. 

The state went dry after Bihar Excise and the Prohibition Act was imposed in April, following demands by women’s groups and NGOs who claimed liquor sale had only resulted in a spurt in crime. Accepted, said chief minister Nitish Kumar who, barely after a month of the ban, has come out with figures claiming the crime rate has dipped massively. There is no knowing, however, what Maoists might be coming come home with. Sources said Maoists get a 750-ml bottle of McDowell’s whisky for Rs 420, Royal Stag Rs 600 and Black Dog Scotch for Rs 1,600 from watering holes in neighbouring Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. The ‘sale price’ of these varieties is almost triple in Bihar. 

Sources said Maoists divide up their teams into small groups each one carrying around 100 liquor bottles. After paying Rs 100 to the supplier for each bottle as a commission, the after-sale profits are kept with zonal heads. That’s where the money trail disappears and that’s what bothers the state police. “These Maoists use poor villagers by offering them Rs 100 per bottle. Since poverty is rampant in villages bordering UP and Jharkhand, the villagers fall prey to such easy money offers,” said a police officer.

Director General of Police PK Thakur says women in villages have welcomed prohibition. “Liquor might be smuggled in by ordinary people rather than Maoists as they mainly depend on extortion. We are gathering more information about existence of any organized liquor smuggling by Maoists in areas adjacent to Jharkhand.”

The Left radicals have been quick after all liquor shops were shut in Bihar. Maoist foot soldiers were told to ensure supply of IMFL (Indian made foreign liquor) in their areas of influence such as Aurangabad, Gaya, Rohtas, Kaimur, Buxor and Bhojpur. Excise department officials recently seized a consignment of 106 liquor bottles booked from Jharkhand to Bhojpur in Bihar. Raghunath Singh, identified as an ex-army man, was found to be the main supplier. “His links with Maoists are being ascertained”, said an investigating officer. 

“Maoists certainly have a strong network; they are thriving on liquor smuggling now. They are using National Highway (NH-33) connecting Jharkhand to push liquor to the Shahabad region of Bihar. The smuggling fetches good money,” said a senior police officer posted in a Maoist-affected district of Bihar.

“Maoists can buy sophisticated arms in the black market and revive their network that suffered a serious dent in police action over the past few months. They are mainly confined to border areas of Jharkhand,” said a police officer requesting anonymity.

There has been a steady decline in Maoist violence in Bihar in the last six months, a fact that doesn’t really bring good news for the state police. Intelligence agencies are on tenterhooks over Maoists’ new sources of income. “Liquor smuggling is bringing in huge profits for them… Extortion is toned down as risks involved far outweigh the outcome,” said an intelligence source. 

For the BJP, the main opposition party in the state, the government has not been tough with the smugglers. “We support total prohibition in the state. It’s the duty of CM Nitish Kumar to check illicit manufacturing as well as smuggling of liquor by Maoists,” said senior BJP leader Prem Kumar.