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Not only was the PW
AP state committee member and a deputy commander mahila comrade killed in a
false encounter, but the writers and lawyers who went to claim the body were
brutally lathi-charged, beaten, abused and arrested. Such is the’ democratic
space’ offered by the Naidu government in Andhra Pradesh.
Shepherds, who had
come to graze their sheep were witness to the fake encounter that took place on
May23, 2003 at Chairbanda, Cuddapah district of AP. As deputy commander, Sandhya
was taking out water in a pitcher from a streamlet she was spotted by the
Greyhound police and shot at. She collapsed there itself. Two others were also
injured. The police said they will take them to hospital and asked them to
descend the hill. But the shepherds soon heard shots again. These two
were also shot dead. The next day the police announced that four naxalites were
shot dead, including AP state committee member, Karumanchi Prasad, Sandhya and
two shepherds.
It is clear that all
four were killed in fake encounters. Two shepherds who received bullet injuries
testified to this. They informed the press on the 24th and again on the 31st.
The two shepherds who were an eye-witness to the killing of an unarmed Sandhya
were silenced. Prasad, who it is believed was ill and not in a position to use
the weapon, was probably arrested and then shot dead in cold blood.
Comrade Prasad was a
member of the Revolutionary Writers Association from 1982 to 85 when he went
underground. He had attended the inaugural conference of the AILRC in 1983 in
Delhi. Not only did he actively participate in the cultural activities of
Prakasham district, but firmly on the side of the Karemchedu dalits. Later,
while leading the revolutionary movement in the Nallamalla forests, he continued
his writing of poems, short stories and critiques.
In 1998 when
landlords and armed gangs attacked the weaker sections and dalits, several
intellectuals took varied stands on that incident. In a reply to them all he
wrote an explanatory piece in the daily newspaper ‘Vartha’ under the name
Yadanna. In 2000 he developed this into a socio-economic and political analysis
of the carnage. This was published by Dikchuchi Publications in the name of
Guravaya, who had taught him politics.
In his 20 years of
political life he continued as a member of the RWA till the end. So, it was no
wonder that to wrap his immortal body in the RWA’s red flag, members of the RWA,
including its general secretary, Pinaka Pani, and Cuddapah district convenor,
Ravi, received the body in front of the mortuary.
Draped in the red
flag the procession came towards the gate of the hospital raising slogans. They
had not even reached the gate when they were brutally lathi-charged. Many were
caught, thrown to the ground and beaten. They were abused in the most filthy
language. Those beaten and arrested included APCLC joint secretary Advocate
Kranti Chaitnya, APCLC state treasurer, Shameer Basha (lecturer in Cuddapah
Polytechnic College), and district representatives, Murali Krishna, Bhaskar,
Jawhar, Ravishankar and others. Six from the APCLC, three from the RWA and
another student were kept in the police station, made to sit on the floor and
beaten again and again on the existing wounds. Shameer Basha’s right hand was
broken and left eye injured, Kranti Chaitanya’s whole body was bruised and foot
severely injured, Pinakapani, Ravi, Shafi, and Murali Krishna, were in severe
pain, had blood clots and were unable to walk for many days. All were
hospitalized and the doctor advised them three weeks rest.
Not only did the SP
personally partake in the beating he threatened Basha that he would be
encountered. He abused and kicked the injured Kranti Chaitnaya. Obviously he had
orders from the top to terrorise the intellectuals. In fact just a few days
earlier the police had publicly threatened to arrest all the leading comrades of
the APCLC under POTA. Such is the fascist terror in AP, where not only are
revolutionaries no longer arrested, but tortured and killed in fake encounters,
but intellectuals to are being harassed, beaten, arrested and even killed. The
crimes of the Naidu government surpass that of any tin-pot dictator.
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