In a charged atmosphere at the Somajiguda Press Club, Hyderabad, Dalit organizations and intellectuals gathered to demand answers for the killing of Bunty Radha, alias Neelso, by Maoists on August 29. The United Forum of Dalit Associations orgasized this roundtable, which saw speakers vehemently criticising the Maoist justification for the murder and questioning the silence of human rights groups.
On August 21, the banned Maoists Party killed one of its own member- Pallepati Radha, a 25-year-old female commander. It is suspected that after execution, they dumped her body on the road near Chennapuram in Charla mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, in Telangana. A district that has close borders with Chattisgarh.
మావోయిస్టుగా మారిన హైదరాబాద్ యువతి: నీన్సో రాధ హత్య. ఇంటర్ వరకు చదువుకున్న రాధ 2018లో మావోయిస్టుగా మారింది. రాధని తామే హతమార్చామంటూ లేఖ విడుదల చేసిన ఆంధ్ర-ఒడిశా బార్డర్ స్పెషల్ జోనల్ కమిటీ. #MaoistMurder #AndhraOdishaBorder #NewsUpdates pic.twitter.com/KgvzEVLj6K
— Spy News Live (@SpyNewslive) August 21, 2024
Radha, originally from Hyderabad’s Balaji Nagar, joined the Maoist ranks in 2018 after completing her Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology. Rising quickly through the ranks, she served as a Zone Military Instructor and Commander of the leadership protection squad in the volatile Andhra-Odisha Border region. Her medical training proved invaluable as she tended to several central committee members.
The banned Maoist party, through its AOB Zonal Committee Secretary Ganesh, justified the execution by labeling Radha a “revolutionary traitor.” They claim she was turned by intelligence agencies from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. According to their statement, authorities first approached Radha’s brother Suryam, offering him employment and luxuries, before convincing Radha to act as an informer while maintaining her position within the party.
Following a series of developments linked with this murder, the conference took a critical stance on the Maoists’ practice of eliminating suspected informants.
Vamsheethilak, a prominent Dalit leader, posed a pointed question: “If Radha was truly a covert agent, does that justify her murder?” This sentiment echoed throughout the meeting, with speakers unanimously condemning the brutality of the killing. He questioned why civil rights organizations, who usually speak about civil rights, were silent on this issue.
Dr Maredu Mohan, president of the SC Reservation Porata Samiti, called out the selective activism of women’s rights groups. “Why are those who readily hold TV debates on other incidents silent on Radha’s murder?” he asked, highlighting a perceived double standard in addressing Maoist violence.
The manner of Radha’s killing – reportedly in a semi-naked state – drew particular ire from the speakers. They argued that this act went beyond political motivations, venturing into the realm of gender-based violence and humiliation.
A recurring theme was the vulnerability of dalit and adivasi youth to Maoist recruitment. Speakers expressed deep concern over what they described as a pattern of luring young people into the movement, only to later eliminate them under various pretexts.
Dalit movement leaders along with educationist and former national president of ABVP Dr. Murali Manohar, current and former presidents of SC Morcha Kondeti Sridhar, Koppu Bhasha, Columnist Bhaskar Yogi, journalists Kappara Prasad, Devika, Sai Krishna, Kamarsu Bala Subrahmanyam, student movement leader Jhansi, Dontagani Veerababu, Davu Santosh, Aravind, Nehru Naik, Pawan Mala, Kanti Kiran, Anusha Naik, Jagapati Arun, Jadav Sunil, and others participated and spoke at this meeting.
Dr. Murali Manohar, former national president of ABVP, highlighted the tragic irony of Radha’s fate. “A young woman who joined the movement to fight against caste fault lines fell victim to the same prejudice within the Maoist ranks,” he stated, challenging the ideological consistency of the Maoist movement.
The attendees were unanimous in questioning whether killings by Maoists were not considered murders, and if they became sacred just because Maoists committed them. They said it was ridiculous to ask the police to take responsibility for a murder committed by Maoists. They angrily stated that Maoism has failed, and that’s why they’re resorting to unethical actions.
The members attending the roundtable also concerned about the broader societal response to such killings. Speakers called for public outrage comparable to high-profile cases like the Disha and Nirbhaya incidents, arguing that Radha’s murder deserves equal attention and condemnation.
The dalit organizations present vowed to continue pressing for answers and accountability, signaling that Radha’s death may become a rallying point for broader critiques of revolutionary violence in the region.
On August 11, Maoist cadres killed a deputy Sarpanch, identified as Hemla Sukka, accusing him of working as a ‘police informer’, in Nagaram village in Konta Tehsil under Bheji Police Station limits in Sukma District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh.
The cadres of the Maoist killed a 16-year-old schoolboy and his 19-year-old brother within a week in separate attacks in Puvarti village under Jagargunda Police Station limits in Sukma District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh, after branding them as police informers.
Maoist suspectedly killed a person, Zamindar Lancha Punem of Poosanar village under Gangaloor Police Station limits in Bijapur District in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh on August 23, accusing him of working as a ‘police informer’.
In a direct challenge to the legitimacy of Maoist actions, the gathered leaders questioned the movement’s right to act as judge, jury, and executioner. They demanded that human rights organizations and left-affiliated groups thoroughly investigate the circumstances of Radha’s death.
