Kosru Wade, 30, from Gawadi village in Abujhmad, was at home around noon on October 4 when he heard gunfire from the jungle about 3 km away. A few hours later, he saw a helicopter land near the village to pick up an injured soldier before flying away.
Gawadi is the nearest village to the location of the October 4 encounter where 31 Maoists were killed.
Located deep in the thick forests of Abujhmad, the village has about 100 residents and is around 16-20 km from the nearest police station in Orchha. To reach the station, one must travel over hilly land and cross several small streams.
As security forces move further into Maoist territory, this mostly farming village hopes for better facilities in the future.
“The biggest problem we have now is water supply. The Government installed a borewell here just two months ago, but it doesn’t provide enough water for everyone. We rely on the river for everything, but by January, the streams dry up, leaving us in trouble for the next six months. We need five or six more borewells and tap water for all our needs, including irrigation,” said Wade, whose family has lived here for five generations.
Medical facilities are another big problem. The village relies on a community health worker, known as Mitanin didi, for basic medicines through the Chhattisgarh Mitanin health program. However, for other healthcare needs, they have to travel to Orchha.
Electricity is also hard to come by. According to another resident, only a few houses have solar lights, so the whole village is in darkness. “We want a solar light connectivity which powers the entire village,” says 25-year-old Kamlu Mandavi.
Police sources say that villagers, influenced by Maoist ideas, have resisted projects like roads in the past. For example, Mandavi, a resident, wants schools but not roads. He believes that if roads are built, police camps will follow, and they will take away their land, though he doesn’t explain further. However, a senior officer is hopeful that plans for a police station will bring development.
“The villagers in Abujhmad enjoy playing football and volleyball. This year, the villagers of Kutul, located in the center of Abujhmad, won third place in volleyball, and we honored them with a cash prize,” he says.
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