Comrade Lalitha killed in Chhattisgarh encounter
Aspari (Kurnool district): In a tragic development, Comrade Lalitha alias Sangita, a full-time Maoist cadre, was reportedly killed alongside senior Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao in the encounter with the security forces in Narayanpur of Chhattisgarh on May 21.
The news of her death reached her family on Saturday evening, following which her relatives, along with members of the Association for Martyrs' Families and Friends, have begun efforts to retrieve her mortal remains.
Lalitha hailed from a Dalit family in Malagundam village of Aspari mandal in Kurnool district. The eldest among six siblings, she grew up in a region often afflicted by drought, which compelled many, including her family, to migrate to cities like Hyderabad in search of livelihood. It was during one such migration that Lalitha met various people's movements and eventually became actively involved with the Kula Nirmulana Porata Samiti (KNPS).
Her commitment to the cause led her to the Dandakaranya region, where she responded to a call from the Maoist party to support the establishment of the Janatha Sarkar (people's government). There, she dedicated herself to serving the Adivasi communities as a nurse, offering healthcare services in the remotest forest areas.
Lalitha had been a full-time activist in the Maoist movement for over 15 years. Her sudden death has left her family and comrades in deep grief. As they prepare to claim her body, tributes pour in for the woman who chose a path of resistance and service in the face of adversity.
Further details about the encounter and the official response from authorities are awaited.
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