PATNA/JAMUI/GAYA, Nov. 12 -- Enthusiasm was palpable since early morning in village Chormara, 30 kms from the Jamui district headquarters, where voting took place after a gap of 25 years. Once dominated by Naxals, the villagers came out to exercise their franchise with a new hope of getting rid of poverty, backwardness and migration as heavy deployment of security forces instilled sense of assurance and fearlessness. "Now, leaders also come to seek our votes. They also promise development. Earlier, nobody even came here due to fear," said a local about the change. Mostly populated by the tribal community, Chormara, situated in the forest and hilly area along the Jamui-Munger border, had been under the grip of Maoists for decades. Locals recall that the then Maoist commander Baleshwar Koda held sway in the area. The polling station this time has been located in the new school building which was once blown up by the Maoists. Many of the Maoist leaders were killed and some of them surrendered before the police. "In the past, even thinking about voting was not possible due to the fear of Maoist backlash, which was difficult to escape. Now the village has access to roads, water, electricity, and mobile networks. The Nitish government has done work, but we need more development," said a villager on the condition of anonymity, adding that today if they could come out and vote without fear, that was in itself a new-found freedom. Chormara falls under Barhat police station area. Around 1,011 SC/ST voters, including 488 men and 523 women, who previously had to walk miles to vote in other villages, pressed the EVM button for the first time at a booth near their home. Chormara recorded a voter turnout of 41.55%. "Earlier, villagers had to travel 22 kms to the Koywa school in Barahat block to cast their votes. The journey was long and dangerous - with the fear of landmines along the way, the watchful eyes of Maoists hiding in the forests, and the deep shadow of insecurity. The villagers invariably avoided taking the risk," said a septuagenarian of the village. Sanjay Koda, son of former Maoist commander Baleshwar Koda, who surrendered before the police, admitted the reign of terror in the region earlier. "Yes, my father was a Maoist commander. No one knew who would be the next victim when Maoist influence was at peak. But now I am myself working at the polling centre. We are proud that we can now vote freely," he added. Baleshwar's wife too corroborated the positive change. "I have witnessed many murders with my own eyes. The police also used to harass us. But now the situation has changed. Today I cast my vote with children - for the first time. I am very happy," she added. According to a senior Bihar police official, not only in Chormara but also in the Pichuliya village of Imamganj Assembly area in Gaya district and Rehal village of Rohtas, the voting process was initiated for the first time. The people here are now stepping towards rights, not fear. In Tarachhua and Pichuliya villages of Chhakarbandha police station area of Gaya, voting had never occurred in assembly elections since independence and there was a lot of excitement among the people. "Voting took place for the first time in Tarachhua during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and now a booth has been established in Pichuliya for the 2025 Assembly elections," said the officer. Budhan Mistry (60), a native of Nabigarh, the last village in the hilly terrain of Gaya district, told HT that he had earlier cast his vote at Bhadwar, more than six kms far from Nabigarh village, but this time it was very convenient. Tribal woman Sugia Devi, 65, of Chakdih village across dense hilly forests in Kaimur wildlife sanctuary was very happy after casting her vote. She had come to her village booth with her two daughters-in-law Manju and Asharfi and was blessing CM Nitish Kumar and Rohtas SP Raushan Kumar who saved them from downscaling difficult hills to cast their votes on plains. Earlier, for more than two decades, the people of the village under Rohtas police station and in Chenari (SC) constituency of Rohtas district, had to cover a difficult hilly patch of 10 km to go down to the Telkap polling booth on plains for voting. Same were the feelings of Raju Singh Kharwar, Mahendra Kharwar and Dipu Kharwar, Rama Oraon, Jagi Devi, Budhani Devi, all under 30 to 55 years age and waiting in lines on polling booths at Soli, Rehal and Korhans hilly villages, under Pipardih panchayat in Nauhatta police station and Chenari constituency. ADG (HQ) Kundan Krishnan, also holding the additional charges of ADG (Op) and nodal officer of election commission, said around 5 pm, of 881 voters, 699 (79.34%) including 416 women cast their votes at Tarachhua. Similarly, at Chormara, 420 people including 167 females (1,011 voters) cast their votes. At 307 and 308 polling booths of Korhans in Rohtas, the polling was said to be 68% and 72% respectively. At Nabigarh booth 62.62% people voted. "That shows the positive vibes this time. High voting reflects their enthusiasm," he added. It is noteworthy that it was at Chormara, where CPI (Maoist) had held its 9th Congress here in January-February 2007. In the Chakarbandha hilly region of Gaya district, Maoist squads were active until 2024. In 2016, during the Dumri Nala blast, 10 COBRA jawans were martyred. In 2002, near the Rehal Forest Guest House in Nauhatta Police Station area of Rohtas district, IFS officer DFO Sanjay Singh was killed by Maoists....