Komaram Bheem’s death anniversary today

Adilabad: The 76th death anniversary of Adivasi freedom fighter Komaram Bheem will be observed on Aswiyuja Pournami on Sunday.
Born on October 12, 1901 into a Gondu family in Sankepalli village which is now in Asifabad district to Kumram Chinnu and Somberi, Kumram organised an armed struggle against the Nizam rule after his father was killed during the raids by the Forest officials.

The Nizam administration ruled out any rights over the Forest land to the Adivasis which led to massive struggle against the Nizam rule. After the death of his father Chinnu, Bheem’s family left for Kerimeri Surdhapur village. Bheem started questioning the exploitation and atrocities against the Adivasis and launched guerilla war against the Nizam’s army.

After waging a relentless struggle against the Nizam’s army, a traitor, Kurdhu Patel informed the Nizam army about the hiding place of Bheem which resulted in indiscriminate firing at Bheem and his followers at Jodeghat. Bheem and his twelve followers died in the firing on October 27, 1940 which was the day of Aswiyuja Pournami. However, Adivasis consider the Aswiyujna Pournami as the death anniversary of Bheem and observe it every year.

The Telangana government has allocated Rs 26 crore to start a museum in memory of Komaram Bheem. Rare artefacts of Adivasi culture would be displayed in the museum and a huge garden will be built in 25 acres. The government has also decided to develop Jodeghat as tourist spot and is constructing cottages for the visiting tourists. Efforts are also on to erect a huge statue of Bheem in the garden. Madavi Sankar, an Adivasi leader said that the work on museum was going on at a slow pace and so far only 75 per cent of work was completed. Another Adivasi Tirupati demanded that the Asifabad district should be named after Komaram Bheem.