Former Maoist leader Ganti Prasada Rao alias Prasadam(60), succumbed to bullet wounds while undergoing treatment at the Narayana Hospital here in the wee hours of Friday.
Prasadam was critically injured following an attack by unidentified persons with knives and a short firearm near Nellore Hospital here on Thursday afternoon. Earlier, he took part in the martyrs’ day meeting of the Viplava Rachayita Sangham (Revolutionary Writers’ Association) here.
The deep injuries inflicted in his neck with a knife and excessive bleeding into abdomen proved to be fatal. Doctors operated upon him till late night. The end came around 1 a.m. On hearing the news, Prasadam’s wife Kameswari and son Sudhir arrived here from Bobbili.
Prasadam worked as central committee member of the People’s War in the past. Later he gave up active role in the movement and started working legally for the cause he believed in. He was State honorary president of the Amara Veerula Bandhumitrula Sangham (Committee for Martyrs’ Friends and Relatives).
Rights activists and civil liberties leaders termed Prasadam’s killing an attack on democracy to silence the voice of dissent. CMFR State secretary Padma Kumari and Virasam State committee member Pani blamed the government and the police for their leader’s killing.
Revolutionary Writers’ Association leader Kalyan Rao, Coordination of Democratic Rights Organisations convener Kranti Chaitanya, New Democracy Party leader Sagar and other leaders also held the government responsible for the killing.
Last rites today
They asserted that several efforts were made in the past to “silence the voice” of Prasadam but this time a plan was hatched to eliminate him physically. They said though such brutal attacks were being made, they could not deter people from taking part in the respective movements.
Mr. Kalyana Rao and Mr. Kranti called upon people to condemn such attacks and save democracy, as there should be somebody to stand on their behalf.
Prasadam’s body will be taken to his native Komarthy village near Bobbili in Vizianagaram district for cremation on Saturday afternoon.