Telangana tribals pay tributes to Indravelli martyrs

Hyderabad, April 20:  Rich tributes were paid to tribals who were killed in police firing while fighting for their rights 42 years ago at Indravelli in Telangana's Adilabad district.

Aboriginal tribals or Adivasis and leaders of different political parties paid homage to martyrs at the martyrs' column in Indravelli on Thursday.

It was on this day in 1981 that 13 tribals were killed in a police firing when they had gathered at Indravelli for a protest on a call given by Andhra Pradesh Raithu Coolie Sangham to fight for their land rights.

The police had opened fire when a constable was allegedly killed by an angry mob.

According to official records, 13 tribals, all Raj Gonds belonging to surrounding villages of the Indravelli mandal centre, were killed in the firing. However, rights groups had put the death toll at 60.

Till a few years ago, the tribals were not allowed to hold meetings in Indravelli to pay homage to the martyrs.

Adivasis, members of Indravelli Amaraveerula Ashaya Sadhana Samithi and the Tudum Debba, a tribal rights organization, offered floral tributes in a traditional manner on Thursday.

Adilabad Member of Parliament Soyam Bapu Rao, Mulugu MLA Seethakka and YSR Telangana Party leader Y.S. Sharmila paid tributes at the martyrs' column.

Seethakka tweeted that Indravelli Adivasi heroes are immortal. She called Indravelli a place of inspiration. "Many lost their lives to get our land, & freedom back still we are fighting for our lands & freedom, we remember the fighters & I pray for their souls to get peace," she wrote.

Sharmila said she paid tributes to the martyrs of Indravelli who laid down their lives fighting for land rights and against the exploitative system.

She said it was another Jallianwala Bagh.

"We will continue to fight for tribal rights with the spirit of martyrs," she said.