Alluri Sita Rama Raju
Indian revolutionary
Died when: 26 years 308 days (322 months)Star Sign: Cancer
Alluri Sitarama Raju (4 July 1897 or 1898 – 7 May 1924) was an Indian revolutionary, who waged an armed campaign against the British colonial rule in India.
Born in present-day Andhra Pradesh, he was involved in opposing the British in response to the which restricted the free movement of Adivasis in their forest habitats, and prevented them from practicing their traditional form of agriculture called podu.
Rising discontent towards the British led to the Rampa Rebellion of 1922, in which Alluri played the major role as its leader.
Mustering combined forces of Adivasis, farmers and other sympathizers to the cause, he engaged in guerilla campaigns against the British in the border regions of then Madras Presidency, now parts of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam.
He was given the epithet—"Manyam Veerudu" (transl.Hero of the Jungle) by the local villagers for his heroic exploits.
Harnessing widespread discontent of the Indian people towards the British colonial authorities in the backdrop of the non-cooperation movement, Alluri led his forces in guerilla campaigns against the colonial rulers with an aim to expell them from the Eastern Ghats region.
During this period, he led numerous raids on imperial police stations to acquire firearms for his under-equipped forces; after each raid on a station, he would leave behind a letter written by him informing the police about the details of his plunder, including the details of the weaponry he parted away with, and dared them to stop him if they can.
Police stations in the areas of Annavaram, Addateegala, Chintapalle, Dammanapalli, Krishna Devi Peta, Rampachodavaram, Rajavommangi, and Narsipatnam were all targeted by his forces which resulted in significant police casualties.
In response to these raids, and to quell the rebellion; the British colonial authorities undertook a nearly two-year long manhunt for Alluri, resulting in expenditures reaching over ?4 million rupees then.
Eventually in 1924, he was trapped by the British at the village of Koyyuru in the Chintapalle forests.There, he was captured, tied to a tree and summarily executed by a firing squad.
His final resting place lies in the village of Krishnadevipeta.
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