Alluri Sita Rama Raju

Alluri Sita Rama Raju (born July 5, 1897 – died May 7, 1924) was a force to be reckoned with for the British Empire. As a protagonist he led a band of tribals in the “Rampa Rebellion” of 1922-24. The Revolutionary leader, born with an ideology, earned himself the name “Manyam Veerudu” (Hero of the Jungles) among  the locals.

  In 1857, during the first war of independence, Sri Alluri Seetarama Raju traveled into the deep forests of Gond land, united different tribes, trained them in guerrilla warfare to stand up against the oppression by the British.

On 22nd August 1922, the well trained tribal army raided three police stations Chintapalli Police Station, Krishnadevipeta Police Station, and Rajavommangi for three consecutive days taking away large number of guns, bayonets and cartridges and swords. Between (1922 to 1924) the British Army was terrorized by the exploits of Alluri Sita Rama Raju.

Known as a sharp archer, he was lured out of hiding in 1922, when the British deployed a company of Assam Rifles near Pegadapalle under the leadership of Saunders. Armed with tribal volunteers using bows and arrows, he openly rebelled against the British. Capturing the revolutionary leader was a herculean task but he was eventually overpowered. He was tied to a tree and shot dead with a rifle in Mampa village.

The Department of Posts issued a 50 Paise multicolored stamp in memory of the freedom fighter Sri Alluri Sitarama Raju.