76th death anniversary of Telangana armed struggle hero Anabheri Prabhakar Rao on Thursday

Considered as Telangana Bhagath Singh, Prabhakar Rao was killed by bullets of the Nizam’s army in the Mohammadapur hillocks near Husnabad on March 14, 1948

Karimnagar: It is 76 years since the death of Telangana armed struggle leader Anabheri Prabhakar Rao.

Considered as Telangana Bhagath Singh, Prabhakar Rao was killed by bullets of the Nizam’s army in the Mohammadapur hillocks near Husnabad on March 14, 1948. Born in a landlord’s family, Prabhakar Rao was attracted towards communism and fought for the poor. As a teenager, he studied revolutionary movements and gained support from the public when he fought for equal rights for Telugu speaking people under the Nizam.

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His legacy prompted the youth in Telangana to begin the struggle for the independence of Telangana and also increased the rise of socialism in the erstwhile Hyderabad State.

Prabhakar Rao was born on August 15, 1910 in Polampalli of Thimmapur mandal to Venkateshwara Rao and Radhabai.

While studying in Nizam College, he was inspired by the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, Subash Chandra Bose, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He was elected as Karimnagar district secretary of Andhra Mahasabha. On the call given by the then district president Baddam Yella Reddy, a dalam was formed under the leadership of Prabhakar Rao and fought against bonded labour system, suppression, landlords and doras.

The dalam led by the 37-year-old Prabhakar Rao burnt the land patta papers of the poor kept illegally by landlords and Jamindars. Though the Nizam offered a Talukdar collector post to Prabhakar Rao, he denied the offer and fought for the poor. At one stage, Nizam had issued ‘Nazar Bandh’ orders against Prabhakar Rao.

All the 12 members of the dalam were killed in an exchange of fire with the Nizam’s police and Razakars in the hillocks of Mohammadapur on March 14, 1948. This was the first encounter in the district that took place as part of Telangana Armed struggle movement.

Tumoju Narayana, Papaiah, Singireddy Bhupathi Reddy, Balram Reddy and others were killed in the encounter. On the occasion of 76rd death anniversary of Prabhakar Rao as well as the encounter, the CPI will organize a commemoration meeting at Mohammadapur on Thursday. CPI national secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and district secretary Marri Venkataswamy and others will pay tributes to Prabhakar Rao by garlanding his statue near vegetable market in Karimnagar town.