Jamshedpur, Sept. 5: Villagers played a vital role in the August 30 landmine blast in Ghatshila that left 11 policemen dead. East Singhbhum superintendent of police Naveen Kumar Singh made the startling revelation here today.

Singh said these people were hand in glove with Naxalites who triggered the blast. Ghatshila police arrested four suspected Naxalites yesterday evening.

“About 25 people were involved in the blast. Of them, 15 were members of the CPI(Maoist)’s Belpahari platoon and the rest were villagers. Those arrested in connection with the blast have revealed the names of the others involved. They have revealed how the villagers helped them. We will issue arrest warrants and book those who aided the Naxalites,” the SP said.

The villagers from Hiraganj, Basodera and Burudih provided the rebels with food, clothes, medicines and even information when the armed squad came to the area for “surveillance” — a Naxalite modus operandi before every attack.

Even while expressing concern over the role of villagers in abetting Naxalism in places such as Ghatshila, the police chief admitted that at times these poor locals are helpless. When armed Maoists barge into their homes and demand food or favours, there is little they can do in protest, he said.

“However, sometimes such claims made by villagers may not be completely true. They may have other interests, such as money, that prompt them to help Naxalites. The recent mine blast at Burudih has revealed that all those who claim helplessness are not that helpless,” Singh said.

Singh said the landmines were planted just a day before they went off. Interrogations have revealed that villagers had provided crowbars for the operation and guarded the area while the Naxalites dug up holes on the road for planting the mines. “The villagers were very well aware that landmines were being planted. They could have informed the police and their identity would have been kept a secret. But they preferred silence and watched people die,” he said.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting of police officers was held in Ranchi today. It was presided over by director-general of police V.D. Ram. Singh, who attended the four-hour meeting, said issues related to Naxalites were elaborately discussed. It was the first such meeting after Shibu Soren became the chief minister. Insiders said a proposal to bring the rebels to the mainstream was also mooted.