Abduction of Social Workers by Dacoits and Crisis Management: A Case Study from Bundelkhand Region in Central India

Deendayal Research Institute (DRI), an NGO established in 1969, has been working for the upliftment of the poor and the underprivileged in the Bundelkhand region in central India. DRI initiated Village Self Reliance Campaign (VSRC) with an integrated approach to rural development comprising components of agriculture, income generation, entrepreneurship development, health, education and litigation free villages. The key component of the VSRC is the Samaj Shilpi Dampatis (SSD), a newly wed graduate couples who have a sense of commitment towards community service, and live and work with villagers for a period of five years. SSDs act as nodal point for all development interventions by DRI. This research study was undertaken in Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh and Satna district of Madhya Pradesh to study the challenges faced by SSDs in working with villagers. A case study was written to document the complex socio-geo-political challenge faced by one of the SSDs. The information was collected in January and February 2009 by personal interview and discussion with the SSD couple who were part of the process described in the case study. The facts were also validated by discussions with other four SSD couples. A SSD couple was abducted by dacoits in 2002 in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. Dacoits had mistaken the couple for government contractors overseeing the construction of a well for drinking water in a village. Couple was taken into deep forests by the dacoits where they were staying. Dacoits demanded a sum of five lakh rupees from SSD for their safe release. The case study highlights the social processes involving the communication between the abductor and the abducted, release of women functionary, support of villagers and DRI in the hour of crisis and finally the safe release of male functionary. Simplicity, honesty, integrity and courage on the part of SSD; love and affection and support by villagers; and unstinted support by DRI contributed to successful management of a crisis and the safe release of abducted SSD.