Memorial Park at Indervelli Martyrs Column: Tribals long wish comes true as Revanth Reddy takes oath as CM

Adilabad: The infamous Indervelli police firing that claimed about 60 tribal lives as per APCLC has come into sharp focus following the win of Congress in the assembly elections. What makes it more important is the elevation of A. Revanth Reddy to the post of Chief Minister.

Among the first of his decisions, the CM has ordered the development of a memorial park at the Indervelli martyrs' column, thereby fulfilling his promise made to the Adivasis of Adilabad district.

On Thursday, Adilabad Collector Rahul Raj P.S. consulted with tribal elders on the development of the memorial park. He will send his report to Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumar subsequently.

Young Adivasi leader Vedama Bojju, who has won from the Khanapur (ST) Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket, is understood to be the moving spirit behind the decision to develop the martyrs column. He was one of the chief organizers of a highly successful public meeting, `Dalit-Girijana Dandora’, at the martyrs' column in August 2021 soon after Revanth Reddy took over as TPCC president.

The CM had also visited the famous Nagoba temple in Indervelli mandal in January 2022 demonstrating the kind of regard he has for the aboriginal tribes. He had realized the emotional attachment of the tribals to the martyrs' column and therefore took the decision.

A memorial park was first promised by none other than Congress leader Jairam Ramesh who had undertaken the development of tribal areas in the old united Adilabad district as part of his Giri Pragathi programme in 2006. He was then a member of Rajya Sabha from undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The martyrs' column was erected at the place on the outskirts of Indervelli mandal headquarter where unsuspecting Adivasis had gathered for a public meeting organized by the AP Rythu Coolie Sangham on that fateful day in the summer of 1981. Officially, 17 tribals were killed in the police firing by different fact-finding organizations putting the death toll at 60, many of the bodies remaining untraced..

The martyrs' column, a red-painted structure with a hammer and sickle symbol at the top was first constructed in 1983 by Ganji Rama Rao, the then-president of the Sangham. It was demolished, allegedly by the district police, but was rebuilt in its present form in 1986.

The place comes up alive only on April 20 every year or during occasions that see visits to these parts by VIPs. The ITDA Utnoor sponsors the event connected with tribals paying homage to the victims who hailed from different places in the district.