RK's wife terms his death as 'murder' by govt

Ongole: The government conspired to kill Maoists by restricting their access to medicines, treatment and food, alleged Ankineni Sirisha alias Padma alias Nirmala, wife of senior Maoist leader Akkiraju Haragopal, popularly known as RK and Ramakrishna. Speaking at Alakurapadu village in Tanguturu mandal of Prakasam district, after the CPI (Maoist) confirming the death of RK on Friday, she said that fighters like RK will not die in the hearts of the people, and many more RKs will come forward to continue the legacy.

The Alakurapadu village, where Sirisha and her relatives including Virasam leader G Kalyana Rao are living, turned gloomy after the death of Ramakrishna broke in media on Thursday evening. The family members, Virasam leaders and supporters of the Maoist leader said they would not believe the news unless the CPI (Maoist) officially confirms it. They cited similar false reports on the Maoist leaders. But after the confirmation of RK's death by Maoist party central committee spokesperson Abhay, the family members accepted it. On Saturday, the family members, Maoist sympathisers, members of Amaraveerula Bandhu Mitra Sangham, and leaders of frontal organisations consoled Sirisha, Kalyana Rao and others and paid floral tributes to the photograph of RK, at their home.

Speaking to the press at her home, Sirisha said people like RK are rare, even among the common people. She said that the ideals of her husband have inspired many people, and would continue to inspire more. She claimed that Ramakrishna was proud of their son, Pruthvi alias Munna, who was killed in an encounter with Greyhounds at Ramaguda in AOB in October 2016, for becoming an inspiration.

She opined that due to their untiring fight for decades, the Maoists are able to bring change in the society and the views of the public. She said that the government is controlling the access of medicines, food and better treatment to the Maoists in the forest, making them suffer and die eventually, and called it 'adharmayuddham' (illegal war).

G Kalyana Rao, a relative of Sirisha and Virasam leader, said that Ramakrishna fought against the anti-people decisions of the government and achieved an eminent place in the hearts of the public. He opined that if timely treatment and medicines were available, RK would have survived. He said that Ramakrishna is martyred for the people and his sacrifices would not go to waste in future.

The Viplava Rachayitala Sangham (Virasam) president Pinakapani, assistant secretary Aravind Babu alias Rivera, former president Arasavilli Krishna and other leaders from the Virasam, civil rights organisations also visited the home of Sirisha and consoled her on Friday.