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Anguish in Peddapally, family demands body for last rites
A pall of gloom has descended over Peddapally in Karimnagar district on hearing about the death of senior CPI Maoist leader Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishenji as the people recalled the memories of his childhood and youth.
Kishenji’s mother Madhuramma was crying uncontrollably ever since she heard the news of the death of her son in an alleged encounter in West Bengal on Thursday. The other family members, including his younger brother Anjaneyalu, a cooperative bank employee, were also in mourning.
While many locals, including some of Kishenji’s childhood friends, openly praised him as a “beacon of hope for the poor” and “a revolutionary who fought against injustice”, Anjaneyalu demanded that his body be handed over to the family so they could perform his last rites in Peddapally.
A large number of people had gathered at the residence of Kishenji’s brother to express condolence. “They have killed him physically but his life will remain an inspiration for the people as long as there was injustice in the society”, said a middle-aged woman.
Meanwhile Kishenji’s niece Deepa along with three activists left for Kolkata this morning to bring the body of Kishenji. The group was led by revolutionary poet Varavara Rao and included Andhra Pradesh civil liberties committee secretary C Chandrashekhar, Padma Kumari, Secretary, Amarula Bandhu Mitrulu Sangham (Martyrs Relatives and Friends Association). However, Varavara Rao was taken into custody by the West Bengal Police as soon as he landed in Kolkatta, it was reported.
Before leaving Hyderabad, he condemned Kishenji’s killing as a “fake encounter” and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident. “We will approach the high court for a fresh post-mortem in Kolkata and bring the body to his home town Peddapally, Karimnagar district for last rites”, said Varavara Rao.
At present the body was kept in the Midnapore hospital mortuary. “It will take some time to complete the formalities and get the body handed over to the family members”, said another activist involved in the efforts. “This is nothing but a fake encounter, an inhuman act. He was taken into custody by the police during the search operation a day earlier”, said Varavara Rao. He pointed out that Kishenji was not keeping well and hearing impaired. Rao said that after taking him into custody, the West Bengal police unleashed false propaganda that he had managed to flee.
Lashing out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerji, he said the incident had exposed her real face. “After asking the Maoists to join so-called mainstream, and making them declare a ceasefire, her Government has now resorted to this heinous act”, he said.
Many people in Peddapally recalled how Kishenji played a very active role during his school and college days. “He was always ready to help the needy and raised his voice against any atrocity and injustice”, said another villager.
Apart from Kishenji, his other brother, Venugopal also joined the Naxal movement and the two brothers were key members of the central committee and politburo of the CPI Maoists till now.
In Andhra Pradesh, where he had 14 cases booked against him, he carried a reward of Rs 12 lakhs. He was also an accused in the murder of the former Speaker of AP Assembly D Sripada Rao in Karimnagar district in 1999.
