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Before You Read This Story On 5 February 2026, near Podewada village in the Maad area of Gadchiroli district, police and C-60 commandos carried out a cordon-and-search operation in which seven Maoist revolutionaries, including three women, were killed. One among them was Loketi Chander, the leader of that guerrilla unit. This is his story. At the time of his death, he was around 63 years old. Many people in Telangana

“ఏమైపోయావురా? నేన్నిన్ను పోల్చుకోలేకపోయాను తెలుసా?” నమ్మలేనట్టు యెగాదిగా చూస్తూ అడిగాడు బట్టతలమనిషి. చింపిరిజుట్టూ గడ్డంతోవున్న మనిషి యేమీ మాట్లాడలేదు. పుసులు కట్టిన అతని లోతు కళ్ళలో తడి. బలహీనంగా వున్నాడు, మాసిన దుస్తుల్లో. కాలాన్ని అందుకోవాలన్నట్టు రైలు దూసుకుపోతోంది. ఇద్దరి మధ్యన నిశ్శబ్దం. బహుశా వాళ్ళు వాళ్ళ బాల్యపు బావుల్లో పడి కొట్టుకుంటున్నట్టున్నారు. తగ్గిన స్లీపర్ కోచ్‌లవల్ల కాస్తంత రద్దీగానే వుంది బోగీ. బట్టతలమనిషి తన వుద్యోగము గురించి చెప్పాడు. ఆతరువాత పిల్లల చదువుల గురించి అలాగే అనుకూలవతయిన భార్య గురించి చెప్పాడు. అన్నిటికీ సమాధానంగా జీవంలేని నవ్వు ముఖంతో చూశాడు చింపిరిజుట్టు గడ్డంమనిషి. “అది అట... యిదట

The moonlight was bright! Green fields surrounded by rows of coconut trees greeted the comrades who had traveled from afar, easing their fatigue and offering them a pleasing sightas they halted among the sweet limetrees on the village outskirts. The wind blew, frantically trying to extinguish the fire of hunger in their bellies. While everyone else was engrossed in admiring the beautiful scenery and trying to forget their tiredness, Ashokanna

‘Chinnamma, here, have just this one idli’, Aruna said to her aunt pleadingly. Kamalamma  shook her head in a way that showed more inability than refusal. Aruna put her arms around her aunt’s shoulders and said, ‘You haven’t eaten since this morning, you must eat.’ ‘No, bidda’, she said, turning away, hiding the tears that were threatening to flow out of her eyes, and rested her head against the seat.

A professor, who is an academician, was coming from a neighbouring state to attend a meeting. Crowds of people were eagerly waiting for his arrival. There, he has come at last! The diligent looking, respectable professor was crossing the road, smiling and waving magnificently. But suddenly a motor cycle rode past him at jet speed, pumping a number of bullets into the dignified academician, and he fell down instantly. This

It was the month of December. The night was chilly, the air crisp and still. The full moon hung low, casting its silver glow upon the world. There was heavy dew. Kumari stepped out of the tent after packing the necessary things for the next day’s journey. Cold breeze struck her face. She shivered and her teeth chattered. She rubbed her hands together and placed them on her cheeks. It

“Run! The Police are coming! Run!” The entire village was alarmed with the news of police coming to their village yet again. Dandakaranya is not new to the police raids. Still, every time the police enter any village, the villagers, including the babies, are afraid of their arrival and the baggage of humiliation, abuse, and harassment that comes with them. The moment these words fell in the ears of the

It was 4th April 1998. I can never forget that dreadful day in my life. All the happenings of that day and the events leading to it, and how I came out of that death hole are still fresh in my memory even after three and a half years. We had joined the squad just a month and a half ago. Before that we were doing some tech (technical) work