Telangana High Court Steps In to Fulfill Land Promise to Slain Naxal Commander's Family
Mohan was an underground People’s War Group (PWG) cadre for 16 years, rising to the rank of dalam commander.
Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court has stepped in to ensure that the state government fulfilled its promise to a Naxal commander made during his surrender in 1999, who was later killed by his former comrades for allegedly helping the police.
Justice Kaja Sarath was dealing with a petition filed by Nagavelli Aruna, the wife of a surrendered Naxal commander late Nagavelli Mohan, who continues to await the allotment of five acres of land promised to her husband in Medak district nearly three decades ago.
Mohan was an underground People’s War Group (PWG) cadre for 16 years, rising to the rank of dalam commander. In 1989, he surrendered to the state under the then policy for rehabilitation of left-wing extremists and was assured five acres of land as part of the official reintegration package .
Following his surrender, the inspector-general of police (IGP), Intelligence, recommended land allotment in Medak, and the a committee (DLC) chaired by the district collector approved it in 1999. Land was identified, but before allotment could take place, Mohan was killed by Naxalites in 2003 for assisting the police in anti-Naxalite operations.
Post his death, the IGP once again recommended that the land be allotted to his wife Aruna, in recognition of Mohan’s service and sacrifice. However, she was eventually allotted just 1.1 acres, which turned out to be private patta land and was cancelled following legal disputes. Despite multiple representations, no alternative land was allotted.
In 2015, she approached the Telangana High Court through a writ oetition, which has since remained pending. During recent hearings, Justice Sharat took serious note of the prolonged delay and directed the district collector of Siddipet to file a detailed counter. The collector failed to comply.
Two days ago, Justice Sarath expressed strong displeasure over the inaction and warned that if the counter was not filed by the next date of hearing, September 24, the Siddipet collector must appear in person.
Aruna, surviving as a daily-wage labourer, is the sole caregiver to her mentally challenged son.
