Surrendered Maoists rebuild school that they demolished in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: Surrendered Maoists have rebuilt a school that they had demolished twice in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada.
The school lay abandoned after being destroyed by rebels in 2008 and 2015, but is now ready to welcome students. The guilt-ridden Maoists, who built it brick by brick, had made this their first mission as part of being accepted back in the mainstream. The next step is to rebuild roads, they say.

The primary school is in a forest patch in Masapara, about 10km from Dantewada. In a district where literacy is only 42%, as per the 2011 Census, having a school is a matter of pride for villages, but not something Maoists like.

Santu Kunjam, one of the surrendered Maoists has said, “After giving up arms, we saw the damage we had done.” They got support from the district administration and toiled three months to rebuild the school. “We will send our children to this school now,” Kunjam said.

Surrendered Maoists rebuild school that they demolished in Chhattisgarh

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