Last Journey: Funeral Rites Held for Slain Maoist Leader Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy

The mortal remains of Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy, known by his alias Kosa, a 65-year-old central committee member of the CPI (Maoist), were respectfully consigned to flames in his native village of Gopalraopalli in Rajanna Sircilla district on Thursday. Reddy, a high-ranking Maoist leader from Telangana, was tragically killed in an ‘encounter’ with security forces earlier this week in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. Sources indicate that another central committee member of the banned organization, Katta Ramchandra Reddy alias Vikalp (61), also lost his life in the same incident. Satyanarayana Reddy had a long and deeply entrenched history with the Naxalite movement, having joined during his college years more than four decades ago. His dedication saw him rise through the ranks to become a member of the CPI (Maoist)’s highest decision-making body. He spent the majority of his nearly four-decade-long underground life active within the dense Dandakaranya forest region. His body was transported from Chhattisgarh to Gopalraopalli by his relatives on Thursday morning. Despite a continuous drizzle, his family proceeded with the last rites, which were attended by numerous villagers, relatives, and well-wishers in his ancestral home. The air was filled with chants of “Laal Salaam” as the funeral ceremony for the departed Maoist leader concluded.