Brutal murder of Comrade K Penchalaiah by Drug Mafia in Nellore
B Tulasidas
CPI(M) activist and peoples’ artist Com. K. Penchalaiah was brutally murdered by anti-social elements in the business of peddling ganja and other drugs. The dastardly attack took place in Nellore town of Andhra Pradesh on November 28. Com. Penchalaiah was the DYFI area secretary previously and currently the secretary of the Praja Natya Mandali (people’s theatre organisation).
Com. Penchalaiah had been relentlessly carrying out campaigns against ganja and drug peddling in RDT colony, the area where he lived, and also in other parts of Nellore. He was a good artist who organised cultural campaigns against drug peddling. He imbibed the campaign taken up by the DYFI – 'Drugs antham- DYFI Pantham', or DYFI pledges to end drugs. Com. Penchalaiah, a relentless cultural activist, convinced the local people of all ages and across various cross sections to oppose ganja and drug peddling in his residential area. Arava Kamakshi, a woman don, was leading the drug mafia. Ganja and drugs were transported from Odisha to Chennai and other places through Nellore. Kamakshi, her brother and brother in law, all were part of this ugly business. All of them, including Kamakshi, had been rag pickers by profession some years back and had then become drug peddlers.
Penchalaiah could successfully convince the people and in turn, they opposed the drug mafia unanimously and the drug pedddler operations came to a halt. This effort of Com. Penchalaiah caused agony to the mafia. Kamakshi hired goons and they murdered Penchalaiah in broad daylight on November 28. Com. Penchalaiah was taking back his son from a tuition class by a two wheeler. The goons crashed into his vehicle and when he fell out and started running, they chased him and stabbed to death.
The slain Penchalaiahs body was taken to the Government General Hospital, Nellore immediately and the autopsy was done on 29th November. After that, the body was taken to Penchalaiah's house in RDT colony. The last journey was attended by hundreds of people and raised slogans ' Amar rahe Penchalaih", ' Drug peddlers should be punished" etc. Com V Srinivasa rao, CPI(M) state secretary, District secretary Mulam Ramesh and others attended to it.
The party state committee gave a call to observe protests on November 30 to condemn the murder and to campaign against ganja and drugs. In response to the call, protest demonstrations, candle rallies and silent marches to mourn and pay tributes were conducted in all the districts. The CPI(M) Nellore district committee gave a call for a district bandh on December 2. All political parties except BJP supported the call. The bandh was observed all over the district in all the mandals with the overwhelming support of all the sections of people. All the educational institutions, business establishments, private and public transport came to a standstill. Huge rallies were conducted all over the district.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested the kingpin Kamakshi and six others. The police seized 25 kgs of ganja from her house and registered a separate case in addition to the murder case. Ae search is being conducted for another six culprits. The lady don Kamakshi was in the YSRCP till the last assembly elections. After the assembly elections she joined hands with the TDP. Now both the parties are accusing each other and have disowned her.
