
Comrade Loketi Chandra Rao
perishes in staged encounter in Gardicholi who even after facing the
harshest perils-breathed ideology of Maoism and ignited the flame of
revolution till the very last

Seven Maoist
comrades including Loketi Chandra Rao alias Prabhakar of Kamareddy
district of Telangana were killed in the Gadchiroli Encounter in
Maharashtra. A police officer was also injured in this incident.
Special anti-naxals forces along with local police have been combing
in Gadchiroli forest area since three days.
Shots fired from
both sides with this one. Seven Maoists were killed in the shooting.
Three dead bodies among them were seized by the forces on Thursday
night. Four more bodies were found Friday. Gadchiroli Maoist Division
Committee In-charge Prabhakar alias Loketi Chandar Rao (Loketi
Chandar rao) were identified among the dead. Police informed that
there is a reward of Rs. 25 lakhs on him. They revealed that they are
trying to find out details of others and the search is ongoing
Swami alias
Loketi Chander who was working in the name of Prabhakar died in the
encounter on Friday night. Swami was executed in a state fabricated
encounter in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. He remained
underground n since 1995.He was underground for a long tenure and
was expected to surrender due to the severe detention caused by
Operation Kagar. However, he was so unflinchingly dedicated to the
revolution that he never submitted to the enemy.
Loketi Chandra of
Isrojivadi village of Kamareddy mandal joined the then CPI(ML)
People's War group three and a half decades ago. He made a transition
into a full-fledged activist in a short time. He functioned in the
name of Swami in the party. He was underground for a long tenure and
was expected to surrender due to the severe detention caused by
Operation Kagar. However, he was so unflinchingly dedicated to the
revolution that he never submitted to the enemy.
Loketi Chandar.
Revolutionary life journey is a story of blood and tears.
-epitomising the soul of the Indian new democratic revolution. Loketi
Chandar. Revolutionary life journey is a story of blood and tears.
-epitomising the soul of the Indian new democratic revolution. His
life story is testament to an ordinary person from an embryonic stage
evolving and blossoming into a Maoist Revolutionary. and overcoming
the most arduous perils or adversities to keep the revolutionary
movement afloat, remaining steadfast and undeterred.
Evolution
a poor farmer to a revolutionary warrior
His life is the
heart touching story of how a child born in a poor farmer's family
made a transition into the revolutionary movement and harboured
revolutionary aspirations even in the grave of genocide.
Isrojivadi
Village, Sadasivanagar Mandal, Kamareddy District Telangana. Loketi
Chander was born in 1969 in this small village, to a poor farming
family. Mother Kishtabai, Father Veeranna. The youngest of four
offspring. Chandar, who grew up between sister Gangabai, brothers
Rajeshwar Rao, Manik Rao, has experienced poverty sufferings from
childhood. Six caste, lower middle-class category. Agriculture was
their livelihoodand education is only up to 6th grade, but the
lessons life taught him transcended surreal regions
Marriage
and family at a young age
He married
Sulochana (13 years) of Sangojivadi village at the age of 16
Sulochana who was the eldest daughter of Ayala Shyamrao and Rambai
couple. This is a common incident that happened between the social
rituals of that time, but the source of emotional ties in Chander's
life. The three offsprings. First daughter Rajitha (1987) was
handicapped by birth, died at the age of 13 (1999) due to illness.
This is the sadness that broke Chandra's heart. Second daughter
Lavanya (Sandhya, 1989), son Ramesh (1991). Family love and
responsibilities. These are disturbing Chandra's heart even after
entering the revolution.
Death
of parents and wife
Father Veeranna
died in 1996. 6 years after joining the revolution. Mother Kishtabai
died in February 2022. After 31 years of joining the party. News of
their death, photos of the deceased were seen in the newspaper and
got the last look. Loketi Chander met his parents in 1995 at a
protest. That was the last reunion. Not being able to see his family
again in the midst of the fascist massacres in the class fight is a
big agony in Chander's life.
Swami's wife
Sulochana also went to the forest for a short time. Worked in the
attack under the name of Navatha. Their children Ramesh, Lavanyas
studied at their relatives' house. But in 2005, Lavanya, Rameshru
also went to the forest region. Eight years ago, Swami's wife
Sulochana died on the spot due to illness. Funeral rituals were
conducted according to the revolutionary tradition. Swami's daughter
Lavanya was in Chattisgarh Ariste jail six months ago.. Son Ramesh
surrendered in front of the police on December 2. Swami was working
as a member of Dandakaranyam Special Zonal Committee under the name
of Prabhakar and as West Sub-Zonal Bureau Secretary.
Baptsim
to revolutionary Life in the revolution
He earned his
baptism in grappling with the revolutionary movement in 1986, joining
the Radical Youth League. He was, appointed as village RYL president.
Unofficially he participated in RYL programs from 2 years before the
introduction of the team. Actively worked in village/area RYL between
1986-1991.
People's
struggles under the supervision of RYL
Programs
undertaken in Radical Youth League between 1986-1991. People's
agonies, He waged important struggles capturing . SC/ST lands
occupied by three land owners (Rajeshwar Rao Mali Patel, Chinna
Rajireddy, Narayana Rao Police Patel) under the supervision of Loketi
Chander distributed pellets The land owners bowed their necks and
removed their goonda s. It manged to secure Increase in salaries of
agricultural labourers, fair prices for farmers, movement for 24
hours electricity.
Confronting
landlord tyranny
Collection of
lakhs of rupees was undertaken for 1990 flood victims Public
Panchayats were conducted without bias and the financial stability of
the poor was improved.
Landlords and
police acting complicitly went round the village, arrested more than
100 people from 300 families and demanded to surrender. People
protested in front of the house with tears. When Chander came home,
the scene was heartbreaking. The land owners were compelled by the
villagers resistance to release the arrested villagers within 24
hours. The land owners held the feet of the police and gave them a
promise and released them. With this, the confidence of the people
escalated and the hatred towards the land owners intensified.
These fights
unsettled and shook the landlords and the government and the attacks
increased., undertaking Destruction on homes. and pressurising
families. Still Loketi Chandra never wavered and embarked on ca
guerrilla life, left his family and devoted himself to the party.
Career
as Full time Revolutionary - decades of struggle
Loketi Chander
alias Swamy has entered the movement as a full time revolutionary
from April 1991. From member to force commander, district committee
member in Kamareddy, Sirnapalli, Sirisilla areas. Retreat to DK in
2003. Commander, Secretary, Bureau Prabhari from South Sub Zone to
West Sub Zone. A life full of ambitions and sacrifices.
Attacks
on the enemy - Courageous adventures
Between 1993-2009
he heroically undertook a series of ambushes in areas like
Sirnapalli, Papannapet, Rani Bodil. Weapons were seized., Helicopters
attacked, fighting on Salvajudum camps.-,encompassing 25-30 attacks.
Swami escaped from major encounters like Padkal, Ramadugu shelters,
Gajjaralla gutta, Sirnapalli jungle. He heroically dodged the enemy
circles.
Funeral
On 6th Feb2026 at
Bhamragad forest area, Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra at 10 at his
native place isroji wadi, mandal & district kamareddy (formerly
Nizamabad district Comrade Loketi Chander’s funeral was held. It
was visited by family members, villagers, immortal relatives
association, virasam, civil rights association, Telangana people
Front, Dalit Liberation Front, leaders of various people's societies,
left party, labor unions, leaders of political parties, activists who
worked in the revolution movement paid their tributes at 2-10 pm. The
final journey ended at 4-40 pm in the evening among hundreds of
people mourning.
Harsh Thakor is
freelance journalist Thanks information from Aruna Kiranerelu .and
Sumithnarandh Tanob