Revanth Reddy the first CM to visit Indravelli since 1981 massacre

Adilabad: In a historic move, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy visited the village of Indravelli in Adilabad district, marking the first chief ministerial visit since the blood-curdling massacre of 1981. The incident, shrouded in controversy, involved the police allegedly shooting and killing over 40 adivasi tribals during protests for their rights on April 20, 1981.

The CM, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and ministers, made a poignant visit to Keslapur Nagoba Temple. He initiated various development works, including the Nagoba Temple Gopuram, at a cost of Rs 5 crores. He also held a meeting with Self Help Groups at the Nagoba Durbar Hall. The Chief Minister further visited stalls of forest products set up by self-help societies.

A significant moment unfolded as Chief Minister Revanth Reddy laid the foundation stone for a 'smritivanam' spanning an acre, offering prayers at the Nagoba temple. This act, aside from being a step towards memorializing the tragic events, also marks the commencement of the election campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Indravelly holds sentimental value for Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who believes that success is guaranteed if initiated from this village.

Following the Indravelly massacre, attempts to construct a memorial faced bureaucratic hurdles, but in 2016, the High Court ordered a limited number of people to pay tributes to the martyrs. This decision led to an increased number of visitors, turning the site into a place of reverence, remembrance and acknowledgment of the tragic incident in the village.