Doddi Komarayya
The First Martyr of the Telangana Armed Peasant Struggle · 4 July 1946
Doddi Komarayya (also spelled Komaraiah / Komraiah / Komurayya) — a young peasant from a poor shepherd family in Kadavendi village — is recognized as the first martyr of the armed phase of the Telangana Peasant Movement. His death on 4 July 1946 at the hands of a landlord's hired goondas transformed the Telangana struggle from localized protests into a widespread armed rebellion that would eventually encompass over 4,000 villages and claim an estimated 4,000 lives.
Born into the Kuruma/Golla (shepherd) community in Kadavendi village of the then Nalgonda district (now Jangaon district, Telangana), Komarayya grew up under the crushing weight of the Nizam's feudal system — forced labour (vetti), exorbitant rents, and the arbitrary authority of local deshmukhs. His political awakening came through the Andhra Mahasabha (AMS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), which were organizing peasants across Telangana to demand land rights, dignity, and an end to feudal exploitation.
On 4 July 1946, Komarayya led a protest procession through Kadavendi village against the tyranny of Janamma, a female deshmukh (dorasani) known for her cruelty. As the crowd marched towards her fortified mansion (gadi), chanting "Jai Andhra Mahasabha," her hired gunman Miskin Ali opened fire. Komarayya was shot in the stomach — but even as he fell, he continued to raise the slogan of the peasant movement. His martyrdom became the spark that ignited the Telangana Armed Struggle.
Birth and Family: Doddi Komarayya was born on 3 April 1927 (though some sources place his birth in the early 1920s) in Kadavendi village, which then fell under Nalgonda district but is now part of Jangaon district, Telangana. His parents were shepherds, belonging to the Kuruma/Golla/Yadava community — a backward caste that occupied the lowest rungs of the feudal social hierarchy. His elder brother, Doddi Mallayya, was a village leader in the Communist Party and the Andhra Mahasabha. Mallayya's activism deeply influenced Komarayya, drawing him into the growing peasant movement from a young age.
Life Under Feudalism — The Visunuru Family: The Kadavendi region was dominated by the Visunuru family of deshmukhs (feudal landlords). Ramachandra Reddy of Visunuru held control over approximately 60 villages and 40,000 acres of land. His relative, Janamma (also known as Janakamma or Dorasani), lived in Kadavendi and ruled the village with extreme cruelty — imposing forced labour, arbitrary fines, and physical punishments on the peasantry. The peasants of Kadavendi had no rights to land, water, or their own labour.
"Next morning, 6 leaders including Bheemireddi Narasimha Reddy, Chakilam Yadagiri Rao, Nallu Pratapa Reddy, Katkur Ramachandra Reddy were arrested and taken to Visnur police station. At midnight, they were taken with shackles on their hands and feet to the kutcheri house, there they were beaten severely, their heads were thrust in the ovens, chilli powder was thrust in their anus, urine was poured into their mouths and many other acts of fascist brutality were committed. But in spite of all this, Ailamma's harvest and lands could not be seized."
The Incident of Ailamma: In the weeks before Komarayya's death, the local landlord Ramachandra Reddy had attempted to seize the land of a lowly washerwoman named Ailamma (later known as Chakali Ailamma). When peasants, organized by the AMS, prevented the seizure, the landlord was enraged. Six leaders — Bheemireddi Narasimha Reddy, Chakilam Yadagiri Rao, Nallu Pratapa Reddy, Katkur Ramachandra Reddy and others — were arrested and taken to Visnur police station. At midnight, they were shackled and taken to the kutcheri house, where they were subjected to horrific torture: beaten severely, their heads thrust into ovens, chilli powder thrust into their anus, and urine poured into their mouths.
The Victory: Despite these fascist brutalities, the landlord could not seize Ailamma's harvest or lands. This victory over Visnur Ramachandra Reddy, the notorious deshmukh, enthused and gave courage to the people of the whole of Telangana. Long after this, the people used to describe this heroic struggle and sing songs about it.
The Deshmukh's Revenge: With this incident, the Visnur deshmukh was very much enraged. He took it as a big defeat, the like of which he had not experienced in his lifetime. He planned to murder the leaders of Kadavendi village with the help of the police. As part of this plan, he launched cases on tens of people, got 15 of them arrested (later released on bail). The police officers planned out everything with the zamindar and his goondas and left the village, leaving him a free hand to execute his murder plans.
"It was July 4, 1946. Goondas who were drunk, pelted stones at the houses of the leaders. The people, armed with lathis and slings and raising slogans, took out a procession. When it came near the house of the zamindar, which was on the main road, goondas who had taken shelter in a shed near the zamindar's house, fired many shots at the people. The village Sangham leader Doddi Komarayya, who was leading the procession died on the spot, hit in the stomach by a bullet. His elder brother, Doddi Mallayya, got hit in the leg and fell down. Mangali Kondayya had his forehead bruised and his brother Narasayya was hurt in the arm."
The Rally: People took out a rally in Kadavendi village on 4 July 1946 with no weapons in hand except sticks and slings, even though they knew the dora's goons were attacking the leaders' houses. The rally, led by the grama sangham leaders Doddi Komarayya and Doddi Mallayya, was held to protest the heavy taxes levied on everyday activities — such as plucking babul tree fruits or letting sheep graze on government lands.
The Shooting: As the rally approached the dora's gadi — the bungalow where the dora lived and the power centre from which he operated — the vigilant thugs opened fire. Doddi Komarayya took a bullet to his stomach and died on the spot. His elder brother, Doddi Mallayya, was gravely injured in the leg. Mangali Kondayya had his forehead bruised and his brother Narasayya was hurt in the arm.
The People's Fury: But the people did not run away in panic. They surrounded the zamindar's house, shouting "blood for blood." The goondas who were in the shed next to the zamindar's house jumped into the zamindar's house, thinking its high walls would give them protection. But the people had already surrounded it. News was sent to surrounding villages, and they came with dried grass and other fuel to set fire to the house. The crowd increased to nearly 2,000. Some surrounded the gadi, some kept watch outside the village, and some paraded the village streets. People were boiling with rage.
"Hearing this news, Visnur Ramachandra Reddy's son, Baburao (Jogan Mohan) came from Visnur with 200 goondas armed with swords, daggers and pistols. People who were on the look-out outside the village raised sky-piercing slogans and showering stones from slings rushed towards the goondas in masse. Seeing the enraged mass, the goondas thought that even firing would not stop the on-rushing people and leaving everything behind, they ran for their lives."
The Chase: People chased the goondas to a distance of three miles. Many goondas were hit with stones. Many of them, while running away, took shelter in Madapuram tanda, but the people there, sensing trouble, drove them away. Anumula Ramreddy, a known goonda who had been one of those who poured urine into the mouths of Comrades Bheemireddi Narasimha Reddy, C. Yadagiri Rao and others, was caught hold of and given a thorough beating. The carts in which the goondas had come were broken to pieces. There was not a single tree left in the zamindar's mango grove.
Police Intervention: Just at this time, about 60 reserve policemen came to the village. They told the people that they would take action against the goondas and asked them to go home. When the people dispersed, the police handed over the goondas to the zamindar safely. On top of this, six cases were launched against Sangham leaders — the charges being that they had attacked the goondas, surrounded the gadi, tried to set fire to it, and poured urine into the mouth of the goonda leader. But no goonda was arrested nor any case launched against them. But in spite of this, the people were undeterred.
"After the post-mortem on the body of Doddi Komarayya, thousands of people took it in a big procession in the villages and cremated it. People from neighbouring villages also took part in this procession. All of them pledged that they would not bend down before the zamindar but would, with renewed energy, work for the Sangham."
A Mass Rally: Thousands of villagers attended his funeral and sang the songs that he had written. Resolutions against illegal and forceful exactions and vetti were passed and implemented. For the next three months, they did not allow the zamindar's men to come to the fields and do work. After this incident, people always used to sing songs in praise of this immortal hero of theirs.
The Spark That Ignited Telangana: Komarayya's death and martyrdom set ablaze the pent-up fury of the Telangana peasantry. People rose in all talukas in Nalgonda in masses. The song saluting and praising the immortal hero used to be sung at all meetings and processions, all over the district. People of one village armed with sticks and slings would march to neighbouring villages and rouse them. They would jointly hold public meetings before the gadi (the deshmukh's strong-house), hoist the red flag and declare: "Sangham is organised here. No more vetti, no more illegal exactions, no evictions."
"If the landlord or the deshmukh did not carry out these orders of the Sangham he was socially boycotted. None should work for him in the fields, no barber, no washerman, no house-maid, no domestic servant. These orders of the Sangham were scrupulously carried out."
Formation of Gutupala Sanghams: After Komarayya's death, the volunteer squads — known as Gutupala Sanghams (from gutupalu, the poles used to pound grain) — became the backbone of the movement. These processions used to stop before the house of the zamindar and raise slogans: "Zamindari must be abolished!" "Landlords' oppression and police zoolum must be put to an end!" "Levy, vetti, corruption must be done away with!" "Amarjeevi Doddi Komarayya Zindabad!" They used to strike the ground with a thud with the lathis (gutupalu) in their hands, shaking the whole village and putting fright in the hearts of the traitors.
Women's Participation: A new special feature of these processions was that along with men, women also took part — not only in their own villages but in other villages as well. Songs written on the incident of Ailamma's land struggle attracted the women a lot. For the first time, the problems of land, eviction, vetti, and forcible grain levies — which had become the problems of their lives — were connected with the slogan of abolition of zamindari.
Spread of the Movement: In this flood of people's movement, the Government could not collect the levy grain. The officers and men who used to collect it were not even allowed to step into the village. Vetti was automatically brought to an end. The deshmukhs and village officials who used to get vetti done had either run away from the villages, or even if they remained, could not raise their head. The movement spread within a few weeks to about 300-400 villages in Nalgonda and neighbouring Warangal and Khammam districts.
Dharmaram Village — Section 144 Imposed: In Dharmaram village, Jangaon taluka, the magistrate with 50 reserve policemen raided and arrested the local leader. People from surrounding villages — Kadavendi, Dharmaram, Sitaramapuram, Devaruppula — nearly 1,500 of them, gathered together. They put barriers before the police van and surrounded them. Raising slogans, they demanded the release of their leader. In spite of police threats to shoot, the people did not stir. Afterwards, Section 144 was promulgated in those four villages, followed by day and night police raids.
Torture of Arrested Leaders: Among those arrested were Nalla Narasimhulu, Mohan Reddy, Mangali Komarayya, Lingayya and others. Serious cases were launched against them. To force them to submit to the police and deshmukhs, the police tortured them terribly — beaten black and blue, chilli powder thrust into their anus with a stick, urine poured into their mouths. But in spite of such atrocities, which went on for a week, their morale could not be broken. Their only answer was that they would not give up the Sangham, nor resign their membership, and would not bow down before the landlords.
People Protect Their Leaders: After this, the Government could not arrest anyone anywhere else. The people realised fully that unless they protected their party leaders, they would have no one to look to. Whenever the police went to villages and asked about the whereabouts of their nayakulu (leaders), the people used to reply that they only knew the lambadi nayaks. This was the only answer heard from everyone — young, old, or children. It became impossible for the Government to trace the party leaders through their agents, as none dared to step into the village.
"In the last week of November 1946, the police having come to know that the village Balemula in Suryapet taluka was harbouring party leaders, raided the village to arrest them. They came into the village and surrounded the..."
The Raid: In the last week of November 1946, the police raided Balemula village in Suryapet taluk, accusing Mattareddy of sheltering party leaders. His neighbours retaliated by attacking with sticks. However, Mattareddy and another leader, Anant Reddy, died in the police firing, further enraging people across the region.
Preparing for Resistance: Later, people learned that the police were planning to attack the villages of Patha Suryapet, Devaruppala and Jangaon. They began preparing to resist any potential attacks. Villagers from neighbouring areas also joined in, serving as night guards with sticks, slings and stones.
Patha Suryapet — A Stand Against the Military: One day, the police and military surrounded Patha Suryapet. Men and women faced them bravely, throwing stones from slings, and remained unshaken even when the police threatened to open fire. Two party members died during the firing, and many were gravely wounded. The police carried out similar attacks on Balemula, Devaruppala and Mallareddy villages. Apart from slings and sticks, people also countered the attacks with crude desi pistols.
Training Volunteer Corps: By 1945, the Party and the Andhra Mahasabha had trained a volunteer corps capable of effectively using the ordinary lathi in organized squad fights. On that experience, they started training people's volunteer corps in Telangana, especially in areas where cadres faced determined attacks from deshmukhs and jagirdars' lathials.
The Role of Women: Trained volunteer corps came in handy in defending peasants against landlord goonda attacks. Hundreds and thousands of peasant youth, armed with lathis and slings, and women with chilli powder, stones and boiling water, came forward to defend their hearth and home.
Policy on Firearms: It is to be noted that in the struggles of 1945-1946, except towards the latter part of the year, the peasant squads were not trained to take up fire-arms. The Party instructed volunteer squads not to take recourse to country-guns (muzzle-loaders), as it would transform the struggle into an entirely new stage and would have all-India repercussions. It was only when under incessant armed police attacks, the first upsurge was suppressed and cadre were forced to scatter, and the police and landlord agents started combing villages widely, that the Party — with the sanction of the Polit Bureau — allowed cadres to arm themselves with muzzle-loaders and seize fire-arms (sporting guns, revolvers, and rifles) for armed self-defence.
Official Recognition by Telangana Government: In 2023, the Telangana State government, under then-Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, announced that the birth anniversary (3 April) and death anniversary (4 July) of Doddi Komaraiah would be officially celebrated every year. The government also declared that his anniversaries would be observed at the state level, ensuring that future generations remember his sacrifice.
Tributes from Political Leaders:
- K. Chandrashekhar Rao (BRS president and former CM): Described Komaraiah as the "first martyr of the Telangana Armed Peasant Struggle" and an "enduring symbol of resistance against injustice".
- K. T. Rama Rao (BRS working president): Hailed Komaraiah as a "fearless fighter who laid down his life for land, livelihood, and the liberation of the poor".
- K. Kavitha (MLC): Termed him a "warrior who stood against tyranny".
Memorial at Kadavendi: In Kadavendi village, a red memorial stands at the site where Komarayya fell. Scattered across the village are dozens of similar red memorials — for the hundreds of villagers who gave their lives in the Telangana Armed Struggle that Komarayya's death ignited. These memorials, with the names of the martyrs engraved on them, still bear witness to their sacrifice.
Inspiration for the Telangana Statehood Movement: As K. Chandrashekhar Rao noted, the spirit of sacrifices like Komarayya's "played a crucial role in the Telangana statehood movement and in shaping the State's progress." The memory of the 4,000 martyrs of the Telangana Armed Struggle — beginning with Komarayya — was invoked repeatedly during the movement for a separate Telangana state, which was finally achieved in 2014.
- Who: Doddi Komarayya, a young peasant from the Kuruma (shepherd) community of Kadavendi village.
- What he did: Became a local activist for the Andhra Mahasabha and CPI, organizing peasants against forced labour and feudal exploitation.
- The Ailamma victory: Before his death, peasants had won a major victory — preventing the Visunuru deshmukh from seizing Ailamma's lands, despite six leaders being brutally tortured.
- How he died: On 4 July 1946, he led a protest procession against the deshmukh Janamma. He was shot dead by her hired gunman Miskin Ali, but continued to chant "Jai Andhra Mahasabha" as he fell.
- Immediate aftermath: 2,000 peasants surrounded the zamindar's gadi, chased away 200 armed goondas, broke their carts, and destroyed the mango grove. His funeral became a mass rally, and his songs were sung across the district.
- The Gutupala Sangham: After his martyrdom, volunteer squads (Gutupala Sanghams) spread across 300-400 villages, holding public meetings before landlords' gadis, hoisting red flags, and declaring an end to vetti and illegal exactions. Women participated in processions for the first time.
- Historical significance: His martyrdom transformed the Telangana movement from peaceful protest into armed struggle, sparking a rebellion that eventually encompassed 4,000 villages and claimed 4,000 lives.
- Official recognition: The Telangana government officially commemorates his birth (3 April) and death (4 July) anniversaries. Political leaders across parties pay tribute to him as the "first martyr of the Telangana Armed Peasant Struggle."
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