Black flags were put up by alleged CPI-Maoists cadres on Republic Day in at least four locations in Jharkhand on the last day of their resistance week to protest the arrest of politburo member Prashant Bose alias Kishanda.

Maoists put up black flags in three different locations in the Giridih district in the wee hours of Wednesday. Villagers noticed a black flag on a bamboo pole outside the Amra Panchayat Bhavan under the Dumri police station area of Giridih district.

Pamphlets were also put up near the main gate of the bhavan on behalf of the Maoists’ Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee which has demanded proper health facilities, political prisoner status and unconditional release of its party’s top leaders Kishanda and his wife.

It also calls for support for the mass resistance movement against the government.

A black flag was also hoisted at the Upgraded Middle School (state-owned school) in Jayanagar and the Dalan Chalkari area both under the Madhuban police station area and posters had been pasted near the spots asking people to make the Bihar-Jharkhand bandh announced on January 27 a success.

CPI-Maoists had announced the resistance week from January 21-26 to protest Kishanda’s arrest.

Maoists also blew up a mobile (base transceiver station) tower at Kharki under Bishnugarh police station, around 25km from the Bishnugarh block headquarters in the wee hours of Wednesday.

A bomb was planted in the Upgraded Middle School Kharki School located a few distances away from the mobile tower and a black flag was also put up. After receiving the information, the CRPF team reached the spot and defused the bomb and took out the black flag.

Giridih SP Amit Renu said that information has been received about putting up black flags. “We have received information about Maoists putting up black flags in some areas

and police team have reached the spot and taking all necessary legal measures,” he said.

Giridih additional SP (operations) Gulshan Tirkey said that the black flags have been put up by the Maoists as part of the resistance week. “It has been done as part of their resistance week. We are carrying out search and combing operations to thwart any plan to disturb law and order during the January 27 bandh call,” said Tirkey.

Jharkhand police spokesperson A.V. Homkar confirmed putting up of black flags and blowing up of a mobile tower by the Maoists in Hazaribagh.