According to officials, the villagers came out to vote in the evening. Locals, however, said the actual figure is around 30 per cent. Though police and district authorities played down the threat from Maoists, villagers have otherwise to say. “We don’t dare to vote. In fact, we had no idea that the polls were around the corner till the killing of local CPM leader Ganapati Bhadra (on May 4). Today, the security forces, police and local leaders are here. They have been asking us to vote, but we’re scared,” said Dulal Mandi, a villager. The attacks by the Maoists on local CPM leaders have highlighted the ultra-Left group’s deep-rooted intelligence network.

Police also admit to the fact. For instance, CPM leader Bhadra had been staying at the party office in Bandwan for the last two years following Maoist threats. Every day, he would return to his residence in Bhomragara for a bath and he kept changing the time of his arrival. “Not even his wife knew when he was going to come home. On the day he was killed, he was here for barely 15 to 20 minutes but the Maoists knew exactly when he would be coming. When these Maoists have such a reach, how can we take chances?” asked another villager.

In Sirka, where 12 CPM cadres left the party on Saturday, voting was muted. Dr Majhi, one of the 12, said: “What difference would my vote have made?”