Gadchiroli yechali village says no to naxals declares ‘gaonbandi’

Gadchiroli yechali village says no to naxals declares ‘gaonbandi’

The Gram Panchayat of Yechali village in Gadchiroli’s Bhamragarh taluka passed a resolution last month declaring a ‘gaonbandi’, a complete ban on the entry and support of Naxals. A letter to this effect was formally handed over to officials at the Mannerajaram Police Station on August 7 during a Krishi Melava (agriculture fair) in the village.

The villages in Bhamragarh including Yechali were once known as strongholds of the Naxals, but for a few years now, several villages have been adopting a ‘gaonbandi’ (village ban). Earlier in 2024, seven tribal hamlets of Bhamragarh tehsil in the foothills of Abujhamarh also banned the CPI-Maoist from entering their villages. This year too in February, two villages in Bhamragarh declared gaonbandi against Naxals.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Yechali’s Sarpanch, 38-year-old Kamala Kursam, said, “A ‘gaonbandi’ for Naxals was the need of the hour. Times have changed, it’s not like before. Earlier, Naxals would enter the village and intimidate people. But if we stand together, they won’t be able to cross the village boundaries. This will lead to our development.” said Kursam who has been leading the village for over three years.

The resolution marks a significant shift for Yechali, which once faced persistent trouble due to Naxal presence. During a major operation in April, 2025, Jhansi Doghe Talandi alias Gangu (member, Bhamragad Dalam), age 30, a resident of Yechali, was arrested by Gadchiroli police in a major operation. Jhansi had joined the Naxal movement in 2010. She has 14 criminal cases filed against her, which include 12 related to armed clashes and one for murder.

But the construction of the Mannerajaram Police Station in 2023, which is just 4 km away, has brought a sense of security among the villagers.

Police officials say they have been working for the past few years to build trust, visiting the village regularly, holding meetings, and encouraging residents to resist Naxal influence. “We have been giving them suggestions and guiding them on what to do. This year, they took the initiative themselves and passed the resolution,” said a police officer at Mannerajaram Police Station.

According to the Gadchiroli police officials, a total of 1133 villages have declared ‘gaobandi’ in Gadchiroli district till date since 2003.

The ‘Gaonbandi’ scheme was introduced in 2003 by the government to curb the Naxal activities. The state planning commission department sanctions a reward of Rs 3 lakh each to villages that do not support Naxals in any way. The resolution is first passed at the village gram sabha level, which later informs a local authority. It is then the district collector who recommends the village for a reward.