Kalaburagi: With the state set to celebrate Hyderabad-Karnataka liberation day on Monday, a trip down memory lane shows that it was no easy task for freedom fighters to secure independence from Nizam rule and the tyranny of the Razaakars.
As many as 30 camps were set up by the freedom fighters of Hyderabad-Karnataka region along the borders of Raichur (which also included the present day Koppal) and Kalaburagi (including Yadgir) to wage an armed struggle against the Razaakars and to liberate their region from Nizam rule.
Former MP of Bidar Ramachandra Veerappa, Sardar Sharangouda Patil of Jewargi, M. Nagappa of Raichur, Shivakumaraswamy Alavandi, who later became the Lok Sabha member from Koppal, Bheemanna Khandre of Bhalki, Jayateerth Rajpurohit of Kanakagiri, Kolur Mallappa of Yadagir, Benakal Bheemasenrao of Karatagi, were some of the heroes who led the struggle from these camps.
While hundreds of Hindus were murdered, more than 125 women were raped, some in public places mainly by the Razaakars.
The Gorta village in Basavakalyana taluk bore the brunt of Razaakars attack. More than 200 Hindus in the village were massacred and their residences set on fire. This massacre is called the “Jalianwala Bagh” massacre of Karnataka.
The Indian armed forces entered the Nizam state on September 13 and completed an operation within 109 hours.
At around 4 pm of September 17, 1948 General Al Edroos, Commander in Chief of the Nizam's army, surrendered to General A.M. Choudhary of the Indian army.
