Padal and Kamayya: Unsung heroes of freedom struggle

Visakhapatnam: In the tribal belt of Visakhapatnam district, there are many followers of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju but they remain as unsung heroes.
Bonangi Pandu Padal and Marri Kamayya are played a key role in the struggle for freedom.

Padal, born August 13, 1890, at Gondipakalu in Chintapalli mandal, took up armed struggle led by Alluri against the British.His wife was eight months pregnant when he took up arms.
He was involved in the murders of British Army officers Colonel Neyvelli Hyter and Christopher William Scott Coward at Krishna Devi Peta, known as KD Peta in September 1922.
He was arrested in June 1924 and sent to Cellular Jail in Andaman. The courts sentenced him to death penalty, which was later changed to life sentence.
He settled in Andaman after completing the jail term, married and was survived by five sons and six daughters. He died in 1974 in Andaman.
Kamayya of Garudapalli in Hukumpet mandal, was a Buddhist and a practitioner of herbal medicine. He had many followers in the tribal area. Kamayya raised his voice against the Muthadhari system (local representatives of the British who collected taxes from farmers).
The Muthadhars had taken lands from many tribals who approached Kamayya. Kamayya, who followed Buddhism, converted a few disciples into warriors and waged war against the British, who targeted him and sent special teams for his capture.
Kamayya fought Muthadhari system for 10 years underground and died in 1959.
In his last days, Marri Kamayya took shelter at Beetubayalu village, which was named after him as Kamayyapeta.
The villagers pay tributes to him on his death anniversary on May 5 every year.