Thursday, June 30, 2016

Rain ups level of groundwater

river Penganga is flowing high near Anandpur in Jainad
The drinking water shortage till a few days back has subsided with the increased ground water table following the heavy rains for the last few days at various places in the Adilabad district.

youth fishing in a stream near Jainad
Adilabad district has received 199.5 mm rainfall against actual rainfall 256.7 mm in the last one month while the rainfall was high in the last four days. 

As many as 24 mandals have received excessive rainfall while 22 mandals normal and six mandals were facing deficit rainfall out of total 52 mandals in the district.  

The rains brought a sigh of relief to the people as far as drinking water shortage was concerned with the rivulets and streams are flowing high with rainwater. Residents are finding water in their hand bores for the last four days due to heavy rains.

Groundwater levels that had drastically due to severe drought have seen an increase in water levels. Tanks have started receiving rainwater with rains affecting the Mission Kakatiya works at various places.

At most places, tank revival works were abandoned as tanks have started receiving rainwater. However, the new water coming into agriculture well and drinking water and open wells can cause health problems if people drinking it without boiling.

People in tribal areas who depend on open wells, streams and rivulets for drinking are particularly vulnerable.

Seasonal diseases spread easily when the water is exposed to pollutants and open defecation. Unfortunately, the Panchayatraj and RWS departments have failed to take preventive measures to avoid seasonal diseases or control them. 

Cops take people's help to Neutralise Maoists

The state government is adopting a multi-pronged strategy to fight the Maoists to protect the development work from the latter’s violence in the state.

A shadow committee called Adilabad Praja Panula Rakshana Committee (public works protection committee) a first of its kind was floated allegedly backed by the police after Maoists torched the machinery used in construction of inter-state bridge on river Pranahitha at Gudem village in Bejjur mandal on April26,2016.

It is learned that such organizations will be in place in all the Maoists affected areas in the districts where development work is going on especially districts sharing bordering with river Pranahitha and the Godavari.

Meanwhile, Maoists in the letter which was left behind after indulging in violence at Gudem, opposed the big irrigation projects and opencast mines and alleged police harassment of innocent Adivasis in the name of combings.        

On the other hand, state government deployed huge police force including Greyhounds along the river Pranathitha and combing the areas both the sides of the river in Telangana and Maharashtra using modern technology and land mine proof vehicles.

Joint operations by the Maharashtra , Telangana and Chattisgarh are being done  along the rivers pranahitha and the Godavari both the sides giving tough time to Maoists.

Recently, three Maoists including dreaded Maoist Atram Shoban alias Charles of Adilabad were killed in an encounter that took place in the forests in Aheri taluq in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.    

It is said that state government wants to take people’s protection to the development works instead of just police security to counter the Maoists violence. Many inter- state bridges and barrages are being taken g up on river pranahitha and the Godavari in the state. 

Wall posters of Adilabad Praja Panula Rakshana committee surfaced at various  towns and villages across the district opposing the Maoist’ violence and interference in the development works.

Recently, people of six villages took out a rally with play cards, flexies in protest against the Maoists’ violence and obstructing the development works at Gudem in Bejjur on June14 and local police officials participated in the rally.

Things move fast in and along the river Pranahitha in both Telangana and Maharashtra side after top state police officers of Greyhounds, Intelligence visiting the Gudem and conducting an inquiry about Maoists’ movements along the river, the torching incident.

Earlier, top police officials conducted a closed-door meeting in the Maoist-affected Devapur in Kasipet mandal to chalk out strategies to control the Maoists’ movement.  

The wall posters claimed that people are preparing to form as ‘Mythri Sanghams’ to chase away the Maoists to protect the development works like bridges, roads, major and minor irrigation projects which are essential to the newly formed Telangana state like breast feeding to a new born baby to grow and survive.

The district police have officially launched ‘Jana Mythri’ program to move close to the people of interior areas and address their problems and SP Vikram Jeet Duggal visiting the interior areas and interacting with the family members of  underground Maoists and asking them to appeal their family members in underground to surrender before the police.


Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Water grid works gain momenturm

The state government is focusing on early completion of pipe-laying works and providing drinking water to the identified habitations in time under Mission Bhagiratha. 

Senior TRS leaders have reiterated that they will not ask for votes in the next elections without providing drinking water.

Pipe- laying works is going on at a brisk pace at various places despite rains and farmers are raising crops in the fields through which pipelines will pass at some places.

The early completion of water grid works and providing drinking water to every household has assumed importance in the wake news that TRS party may go for mid –elections.  

The state government has instructed the officials concerned to complete the pipe- laying work and supply drinking water to 169 habitations in Luxettipet, Kerameri, Laxamanchanda and Nirmal mandals under the first phase of Mission Bagiratha in district by August30.

Minister for forest and environment Jogu Ramanna laid the foundation stone to overhead tank (OHR) being constructed at a cost of 1. 57 crores at Devapur crossroads- to supply drinking water to 250 habitations in Adilabad Assembly constituency.

The minister said 1,42,399 people would get drinking water in the constituency, with this reaching all habitations by December2017, that is one year before the 2019 elections.

According to official sources, Mission Bhagiratha works taken up at a cost of Rs 1,778 crore to provide drinking water to 1,170 habitations in Nirmal, Adilabad and Boath Assembly constituencies lifting the water from SRSP under the scheme.  

The state government has postponed by a month the launch of the water supply for every household under scheme due to delay completion of works. It had actually given deadline of July 30 for launching supply of drinking water to the houses under mission Bhagiratha.  

Pipe- laying work is still in progress and the Rural Water Supply (RWS) will install taps in the habitations after completion of water grid pipe laying work. Construction work on Kadem intake well alone has been completed so far, and Yellampalli, Komurambheem, Nirmal yet to be completed.

RWS officials are planning to visit the Gajwel in Medak, represented by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, to see the model drinking water supply scheme there and replicate it in Adilabad.

The higher officials asked the district officials to take steps to supply drinking water to total 116 habitations instead 66 in Kerameri mandal under the first phase.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Black spots on NH-44 to be fixed

 A RTC bus is going straight without entering into Gudihathnoor bu stand  
The authorities have identified black spots (accidents prone spots) and are diverting the vehicle traffic on National and state Highways to avoid road accidents at identified places in the districts in Telangana.

Experts say that there were many flaws in the design of National Highway- 44 from Nirmal to Adilabad and it seems contactors deliberately avoided conduction of under bridges to enable free flow of vehicles at many places to reduce the expenditure giving scope for road accidents.      

The authorities have diverted the RTC busses to avoid accidents at Gudihathnoor bus stand area which has become danger zone as far as road accidents are concerned on NH-44.

Sangepu Borranna of Gourapur village in Indravelli mandal said more than 20 persons and huge number of cattle died in road accidents while crossing the road   in front of the Gudihathnoor bus stand on NH-44.  

The TSRTC, National Highways Authority (NHAI) and Road transport departments have identified few black spots (accidents prone spots) including Gudihathnoor bus stand areas, Jamdapur crossing from Adilabad town on NH-44.

The RTC authorizes blocked the area in front of the Gudihathnoor bus stand and not allowing the RTC buses or any other private vehicles to take curve suddenly from the NH-44 or come on to the same road.

Now the buses or any private vehicles coming from Adilabad or Indravelli have to go straight half- kilometer distance towards Nirmal from Gudihathnoor bus stand and take U- turn from there and enter into bus stand.

The bus has to go further and take U- turn from there to come onto the NH-44 unlike in the past. However, taking U- turn on the National Highway itself is also posing danger of ghastly accident due to lack of under bridge.

Many road accidents took place while people crossing the NH in front of the Gudihathnoor bus stand and recently a car met with an accident. At same place, more than 20 persons died and many injured after hit by the speeding vehicles proceeding towards Adilabad or Nirmal in the past.

Bus stop at Kupti village in Neredigonda mandal also become accident prone spot the vehicles play on this road at high speed due to slope for long distance and generally drivers lost control on the vehicles and rammed into people waiting for bus or crossing the road or else fell down from the Kupti bridge hitting the iron railing. 

Ramanaveni Srinivas of Kupti village said, ‘authorizes have canceled the RTC express buses halt at Kumari bus stop following the road accidents and only ordinary buses are being halt at the stop now since the buses speed is high due to slope and every possibility for accidents there’.


Entering into Adilabad town at Mavala from crossing the NH-44 is also giving scope for accidents due to lack of under bridge on the out skirts of Adilabad town.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Adivasis protest honour killing

 S. Chellappa interacting with Akhila's family  members 
The incident of honour killing that took place in Neredigonda town on June 24 has gone against the interest of the Mathura community. 

An inquiry was held into the incident by the members and chairman S. Chellappa of a commission.

The deceased Akhila Chowhan’s father and mother had confessed to the crime they committed before the police following their surrender. They were remanded to the judicial custody.   

The commission was set up to look into the demand of Mathuras (also known as Khiathi Lambdas or Labaan) to include them into Scheduled tribes. Adivasi leaders staged a protest against the Chellappa commission and raised slogans asking members of ‘Chellappa Commission’ to go away. They expressed grave concern over the killing of the girl for having an affair with an Adivasis boy.

Kodapa Ganesh, District general secretary of Thudum Debba (Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samiti) said once again it has shown that the Mathuras had their own set of traditions and customs. 

There was no cultural similarity between Adivasis and Mathuras. They considered Adivasis as a lower community. He said many more incidents like ‘honour killing’ and frightening Adivasis will take place if the Mathuras were included into ST’s list.
          
The Adivasis demanded that Chellappa commission should not include the Mathuras into ST's list. A team of Adivasis submitted a memorandum to the Chellappa, Chairman of the commission, during their inquiry into the incident at Neredigonda town on June 26.

Chellappa said the commission came to know that there was an incident of honour killing and they were conducting an inquiry to find out the truth and cross check if it was an honour killing.

He said the incident took place when they were studying the traditions, customs of the Mathuras who along with another community Valmiki Boya have been agitating demanding the state government to include them in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

Chellappa and commission members visited the Akhias’ house and interacted with Akhila’s two younger sisters and two younger brothers and asked them not to stop their education in the wake of incident. Chellappa and members of commission also had interaction with the Akhila’s lover Mahender in closed door.

Akhila’s lover Arka Mahender said he had tried his best to convince her parents but were adamant and killed an innocent girl. He said her parents were responsible for the death of Akhila.

He said, Akhila’s family members, parents and community people may take revenge with by developing a grudge against him with the incident for which he was not responsible and added that there was a threat to his life from latter.

Akhila’s grandmother Champawathi claimed that their community was Chowhan Rajput, which was an upper caste. Commission members H.K Nagu, ITDA,Utnoor project officer  R.V Karnan were present.

The Chellappa commission members recently visited the Kinwat area in bordering Maharashtra and studied the customers and traditions of Mathuras living there.

A source said that leaders of Mathura community stated in their representations submitted in the past to the Chellappa commission that their community was flexible and even allow marriages of their children with girls and boys of other community but the honour killing incident was contracting their claims.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Jodeghat to be part of Mancherial

The historical village Jodeghat in Kerameri and also Dobha village in Sirpur (U) where Adivasi legendary Komuaram Bheem’s grandson Komaram Sonerao's  family lives will be merged into the new Mancherial district to be created. 

Komaram Bheem died while fighting with Nizam forces at Jodeghat on September1,1940.   

The state government is of the opinion that merger of above villages is necessary as the new district will be named after Komuram Bheem .

The above decision was taken to continue the historical legacy attached to Komram Bheem and his family and historical Jodeghat in Mancherial district.    

The fact is that  the tribal population in the Mancherial district will less when compared to parent district Adilabad as agency mandals  Jainoor, Indravelli, Utnoor, Narnoor  are being retained with Adilabad district.

While Asifabad, Sirpur (U), Tiryani, Kasipet, Dandepalli, Kerameri and Wankidi and may be some tribal villages in Jannaram mandal would be retrained with Mancherial district.  

However, Adivasis are not happy with the way the district is divided without  addressing the problems, their social political representation, identity and existence of the Adivasis.

It is said being the ITDA at Utnoor with the Adilabad district it would be difficult for the officials to monitor the implementation of the schemes for the welfare and development of the Tribals in Mancherial district. There are proposals to establish mini- ITDAs in the new district.

Adivasi leaders say that the ITDA officials cannot control the situation effectively in case an epidemic that erupts every rainy season in tribal areas in case the tribal mandals divided between two districts.

It is said that even few villages in Jainoor mandal may also be merged with the Mancherial district for geographic reasons. The Government is of the opinion that tribal population in the Asifabad Assembly constituency (ST) will further decrease if the Sirpur (U) mandal is merged with Adilabad and may affect the chances of reserving the constituency for STs.

Adivasis fear misuse of Sada Bainama

Adivasis are worried over free regularization of Sada Bainama (land deals on plain papers) were done before June2, 2014 for which state government has given permission.

The Adivasis feel that the permission went against the Adivasis of scheduled areas in Adilabad district in particular and the state in general.   

The Adivasis are of the opinion that the permission for registration of Sada Bainamas might be misused by the other groups among the Tribals and non- tribals.

However, they say that regularization of Sada Bainama land documents was against the 1/70 Act (Prevention of Land Transfer Act). The Adivasis suspected that revenue officials might have done regularization of Sada Bainama land records against the Adivasis keeping the innocent Adivasis in dark.

The Adidvais leaders say that there were many incidents where Tribal Lambadas and non- tribals encroached upon the lands of the Adivasis in the last 40 years and even made pattas to such land with the help of the revenue officials.

They give the recent example of getting patta to the nearly 2- acre land taken on the lease by one Jadhav Ramarao from Kolam Adivasis Sukmathrao in 2004 and got regularization of that land on his name without the knowledge of the actual land owner Sidam Sukmath Rao of Admiyan village in Narnoor mandal.

Ramarao of Khandorampur of Narnoor created fake documents for the lease and claimed that Sukmath Rao sold the land as he had taken a loan Rs 6,500 in 2004 from him long back. Sukmath Rao approached the revenue officials against issuing patta to the land in the name of the Jadhav Ramarao.

In this backdrop, Adivasis worried on regularization of Sada Bainama of land records and suspect incidents of misuse of the permission given by the state government.     

The Adivasi leader said there was every chance of Lambadas who migrated to Telangana from bordering Maharashtra and settled here in Adilabad may get rights on lands belonged to Adivasis taking the advantage of regularization of Sada Binama land documents. 

Already, the innocent primitive Kolam tribals had lost their land to others.The Adivasis say the regularization of Sada Bainama of land records goes in favor of Lambadas as revenue officials say that they were regularizing the Sada Bainama of land records only among the tribals.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Girl killed for honor

Akhila Chowhan 
A couple murdered their daughter,17, for having an affair with an Adivasi boy in Neredigonda mandal headquarters in Adilabad district of Telangana early on Friday morning.

Akhila Chowhan belonged to Mathura community while her lover, Mr. Arka Mahender, 26, a Gond Adivasi and was native of Rolmamada village in Neredigonda mandal.

Sources said that the victim’s parents, Chowhan Laxman and Chandrakala, and her grandmother Panchawathi, together asphyxiated Akhila with her chunni while she was sleeping. Parents took the extreme step to protect the honor of their community. 

The Neredigonda sarpanch lodged a complaint with the local police. It is learned that Akhila’s parents have confessed to their crime before the police.

Akhila had called her lover on Thursday night, telling him that she could no longer bear her family’s harassment. Mr. Mahender had then gone to Akhil’s house and had tried to convince her parents and had appealed to them not to harass Akhila. He told them that they were in love and he was ready to marry her.

The parents were not impressed and argued with Mr. Mahender. Sources said that Mr. Mahender was working as a computer operator in the Tahsildar’s office of Neredigonda, which was next to Akhil’as a house. Over a period of time, they developed a relationship and fell in love.

People of Mathura community (also known as Khaithi Lambada) have been agitating demanding the state government to include them in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) and state government has appointed Chellappa Committee to look into the issue.

Mathuras are in Backward Community’s list in the Telangana state and their population is considerable in numbers in Adilabad and Nizamabad districts.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Telangana govt draws flak over Guda Anjaiah's 'funerals'

Revolutionary writer, singer, and lyricist Guda Anjaiah,61, of Adilabad, died of prolonged illness at his house in Ramanna gudem in Rangareddy district on June 21. He was native of Lingapur village in Dandepalli  manual of Adilabad district of Telangana and worked in the health department.

Anjaiah has been suffering from jaundice and kidney related problems and his condition was deteriorated recently.

Anjaiah was famous for his revolutionary songs written with simple words by himself and could be understood by even illiterate people. 

His popular revolutionary song ‘Ooru Manadira – Ee Vada Mandira.. Ee Para Manadira Ee Palugu Mandira Dora Endiro Vani Peekudendiro’ was translated into 16 Indian languages and also English and the song was sung even at international forums.

This song was so popular that all the organizations fighting for the feudal forces in United Andhra Pradesh owned it and has become a motivational song for many revolutionaries in the last 30 years.

He wrote Novels and short stores highlighting the pathetic condition of the Dalits and downtrodden in the feudal set up in the Telangana any brought out Uru Manadira , an anthology of songs and brought out CD’s of songs under the title of Voice of Telangana, Telangana Burra Katha. 

He also wrote songs for few Telugu movies which were received very well by the audience. Guda Anjaiah raised his voice through his songs during the Telangana agitation. Many novels including Polimera, Poddu Podupu, Na Jeevana Samaram, Dalitula  Katha and Meluko Mahila are to his credit.   

Telangana govt draws flak over Guda Anjaiah's 'funerals' :   

Revolutionary singer and writer Guda Anjaiah’s funerals were performed at his native Lingapur village in Dandepalli mandal on June 22 amidst the revolutionary slogans and singing songs and raising slongan Guda Anjaiah Amar rahe.

The noted singer passed away after a prolonged illness at his home in Hyderabad on June 21. His body was brought to his native village Lingapur. Hundreds of people from across the district and other districts thronged the Lingapur to pay last rites to Guda Anjaiah.

Addressing on the occasion, MRPS founder president Manda Krishna Madiga alleged that state government did not perform the funerals of Guda Anjaiah with state honor as he was a Dalit. This shows the state governments’ indifferent attitude towards the Dalits.

He criticized the state government for not giving due respect to the prominent writer and poet Guda Anjaiah who was a staunch supporter of separate Telangana and contributed a lot as a writer and singer to the Telangana agitation. He expressed their displeasure over even district ministers not participated in the funerals.    

Balladeer Gaddar, MRPS founder president Mandakrishna Madiga, Cine director R. Narayana Murthy, Peddapalli MP Balka Suman, Luxettipet MLA Diwakar Rao,  MLA Ramalinga Reddy, former deputy CM T. Rajaiah and many other artist and leaders and activists of peoples’ organizations arrived at the place to pay their homage and rich tributes to Anjaiah. They recalled his contribution to the peoples’ movements.



Wednesday, June 22, 2016

State fails to rescue tenant farmers

Adivasi farmers tilling the land 
The State government has failed to issue loan eligibility cards (LEC) to the tenant farmers enabling them to get crop loans from banks for Kharif-2016. 

Most of the tribal tenant farmers have failed to get the crop loans, as they do not have an agreement as evidence of taking the land on lease from the landowner. 

The state government promised to ensure Rs 25,000 bank crop loan to each tenant farmer for Kharif season.   

The move was initiated following the reports that landowners getting the benefit of the compensation for the crop damage and bank loans and subsidies instead tenant farmers who actually cultivated land taking the land on lease.

Village revenue officers (VROs) entrusted with the assignment of conducting a survey to identify the tenant farmers.

The state government has issued LEC cards to more than 3,000 tenant farmers but bank crop loans total Rs 10 lakh given only to 243 tenant farmers in the year 2015 in the Adilabad district.

Efforts are being made to increase the scale of finance to the tenant farmers and to give loaning to a number of tenant farmers.

Kiran Vissa, the representative of Rythu Swarajya Vedika, said tenant farmers would get befit of crop loans only when they get loans before the sowing but most of them did not get, as they were not issued Loan Eligibility Cards (LEC) by the state government.

He said, 70 percent are tenant farmers among the total farmers who were committed suicide in the Telangana and issuing LEC would be the first step towards  preventing farmers suicides especially cotton farmers.

It is learned that there are more than 10 lakh tenant farmers in the Telangana but among them, the state government was promised to issue LEC to only 4.15 lakh tenant farmers for this Kharif in the state. But, the state government not even issued 50,000 LEC so far to the tenant farmers this season in the state.    

Tenant farmers were more prone to committing suicide if they had incurred crop loss as they fully depend on rain-fed crops and take loans from moneylenders as most of them did not get institutional support.            

There are more than 1 lakh tenant farmers and total farmers are nearly 4 lakh in the district. It is found even the tenant farmers is cultivating cotton though the risk was  high in the cultivation of cotton and also investment cost when compared to other traditional crops.


Raymond Peter, Commissioner of Survey settlements and land records issued orders to the Agriculture and revenue departments Loan Eligibility Cards (LEC) to the tenant farmers and ensure each tenant farmer get more than Rs 25,000 bank loan. 

State's English plan disappoints

The state government has disappointed parents who were hoping to get their children admitted in English- medium government schools. 

When the plan was introduced in the schools, it was implemented only from the first standard. Parents who admitted children in LKG and UKG are missing out on the scheme.

According to sources, members of school management committees ( SMC) of  156 government schools had applied for the permission to introduce English medium in the pre- primary sections in Adilabad district.

Teachers had campaigned for the introduction of English medium in the government school in the villages as part of Badi Bata Panduga to attract the students.

Officials said the government’s decision to not introduce English in the earliest classes was actually a set back in their fight to increase enrollment in the government schools.
Teachers and members of School Management Committee (SMC) disappointed a lot with government’s decision to introduce English medium only from first class.

Most of the parents admitted their children bellow five years in government schools where teachers promised to introduce English medium but now they are in confusion over continuing their children in the government school where there was no medium of instruction was English in LKG and UKG.

The general trend is that parents admit their kids, who just entered into three years, in Nursery or LKG so that they student become five- year- old when they entered into first class.

Teachers who took the admissions of students bellow five years promising to run LKG and UKG classes are not in a position to take a decision on continuing these students.

A.   Venkat, general secretary of the Telangana State United Teachers Federation ( TUTF) said state government’s decision not to allow admissions into LKG and UKG was a setback to their efforts to increase the enrollment of the students in government schools and reduce the financial burden on the families paying a high fee for their children in private institutions.   

It was difficult for anybody to bring the students studying Ist class or who completed UKG in private schools to government schools for giving them admission in first class. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

No takers for helmet rule on petrol

 No helmet but yes for petrol 
The Slogan is good but implementation part is tough. The hyped ‘No helmet and no petrol’ campaign by the transport and police department has failed to force the bike riders to wear a helmet and also owners of the petrol pumps to refuse giving petrol to the riders not wearing helmets.

As usually, petrol pump owners are giving petrol to whoever is coming to their pump for petrol though they are not wearing helmet. 

The state government is planning to implement No Helmet and No Petrol across the state.
An owner of a petrol pump of Adilabad town said they can’t refuse to give petrol to the bike riders for not wearing helmets because as there was no legislation to back up their stand in implementing the rule’.

The need of the hour is creating awareness among the people about the importance of wearing helmets to avoid fatalities and to succumbed to injuries sustained in a road accidents and making quality helmets available in the market at affordable prices for the benefit of the riders and convince of the users.

Also sensitizing school children and college going youth about the importance of their family members wearing helmet so that the former could influence their elders about wearing helmet.    

It was common scene of biker riders without wearing helmets being filled petrol in their bikes at petrol pumps. Neither police nor Transport officials are there to check the implementation of rule.

Now, the police and road transport officials are planning to impose fines on the bike riders not wearing helmets based on their images recorded in the CCTv cameras set up at various cross roads in towns in the district.

It is surprising that the implementing departments themselves have failed to ensure that their own staff should wear helmets while riding bikes.

On June 17, Superintendent of police Vikram Jeet Duggal gave Rs 5 lakh cheque  to K. Rajitha, wife of the constable K. Srinivas,29, who died in a road accident while returning to Dahegoam of Adilabad to join the duty from Karimnagar on December 9. 
The constable met with an accident riding a bike without wearing a helmet.

AR constable Jadhav Adarsh, 28, died in road accident while riding bike without wearing helmet at Indravell in October,2015. 

Charles among 3 Maoists killed in Maha encounter

 slain Maoist Atram Shoban alias harles 
Dreaded Maoist Atram Shoban,35, alias Charles of Adilabad district along with two other Maoists of Chhattisgarh were killed in an encounter with the joint team of a greyhound, Telangana and C-60 commandos of Maharashtra in the forests under Venkatapur police station limits in Aheri taluk of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra on June 19.

Police seized AK-47, SLR and .303 rifle from the encounter scene. Charles is working as Adilabad district committee member of CPI( Maoists). Charles is Adilabad district committee member of CPI( Maoists) and leading Mangi Dalam. It is considered as active dalam in the Telangana.   

Sources said, Telangana greyhounds and C-60 commandos of Maharashtra intensified combing operations on the in the forest areas on the borders of Maharashtra following the information that Maoists were in the area.

The bodies of the three Maoists were found at the encounter while some reportedly managed to escape. It is said that Atram Shoban alias Charles was carrying Rs 4 lakh reward on his head and was involved in 19 offenses committed in the Adilabad district. The other two bodies were identified as that of Dinesh and Mukesh of Chattisgarh.

Police said, Charles went into underground in 2004 and was involved in burning dumpers at Dorli opencast mine in 2009 and killing the Adivasi Ballarsha branding him as police informer in October 2015 and also in torching the machinery used  in manufacturing of inter- state bridge on river Godavari at Gudem in Bejjur mandal in April,2016.

State cops were on hunt for slain Maoist :   

The Telangana police were on a hunt for dreaded Maoist Atram Shoban alias Charles,32, of Adilabad who was leading the Mangi dalam and has become a headache for the Telangana police.

It is surprising that, Atram Shoban was killed an encounter just 5 days after police visiting his native village  Rompelli in Tiryani mandal and had interaction with Shoban’s uncle Parichaki Jaithu and sister Kova Laxmi and SP offered sari and fruits to Atram Shoban’s sister on June13.

During his interaction with latter, SP Vikram Jeet Duggal asked Shoban’s sister to appeal him to surrender before the government.                 

It is said that Charles had narrowly escaped from the police’s combing operations coming nearer to them many times because he knew every nook and corner of the forests areas especially in Tiryani mandal and Indravelli mandals where his movements were found frequently in the last two years.

It is believed that being born and brought up in the interior Rompelli Adivasi gudem in Tiryani he had some network in that area too and police suspected that some people in Tiryani, Indravelli, and Kasipet mandals were giving shelter for the Mangi dalam led by Charles.    

The police have intensified their hunt for Charles after a group of Maoists torched the machinery used in the construction of an inter-state bridge on river Pranahitha at Gudem in Bejjur mandal of Adilabad district on April26.

It was confirmed that the group of Maoist was reached the Gudem crossing the river Pranahitha from bordering Maharashtra and went into the jungles of jungles of Maharashtra after committing the offence.

A police officer of Adilabad on condition of anonymity said, Charles become a headache for not only Adilabad police but also for state police after his rebel activities along the state border and had intensified in the last few years.

The state government took the serious note of Maoist movements on the district border and obstructing development works by torching machinery meant for the construction of the interstate bridge.             

Recently, top leaders of intelligence, greyhound of Telangana had visited the Gudem after Maoists committing an offence and even conducted an Arial survey of the river Pranahitha river area both Maharashtra and Telangana.


Encounter of Maoists triggers fear :   

Silence before the storm like the situation is prevailing in the villages along the river Pranahitha and the Godavari in Adilabad district bordering Maharashtra in the wake of encounter killing of three Maoists.

Police intensified combing operations along the river Pranahitha suspecting that the injured Maoists may sneak into the Adilabad crossing river Pranahitha.
People of bordering villagers panicked with the encounter, worried about the fallout of the encounter.

Adivasis here in Tiryani mandal and especially in Rompelli, the native village of slain Maoist Atram Shoban alias Charles and its surrounding areas are silent on the incident and not sharing any information about Atram  Shoban and his activities.

Adivasis leaders are also not coming forward to comment on the incident with the fear of backlash from police or threat of branding them as Maoist sympathizers. However, people of Rompelli and Gundala in Tiryani mandal shocked on hearing the death of Atram Shoban.

Elected public representatives including MLAs of east region of Adilabad district went Hyderabad for their safety just after the incident took place and new broke out in the media and police alerted the political leaders just after the incident of Maoists torched machinery used in the construction of an inter-state bridge on river pranahitha.

An Adivasi leaders said, some of the villagers came forward to bring the body of the Charles to the native village as he had lost his parents in his childhood and it is the duty of the villagers to see that his funerals take place properly being an Adivasi.         

Police also alerted the elected public representatives not to visit interior areas especially bordering mandals of river Pranahitha without informing them as Maoists may indulge in retaliation.


Adivasis of Maoists affected gudems in the Tiryani mandal were gripped with the fear as police are visiting their villages. Police and villagers are making efforts to  bring the body of the Charles to his native Rompelli. It is learned that funerals of the slain Maoist Atram Shoban alias in his native village in the late on Monday night.