Berhampur: Sixty six years after
he was hanged to death by the British administration, a family
member of freedom fighter Laxman Nayak was finally able to
visit the spot inside a jail and pay floral tribute to him.
Rukuna, 72-year-old daughter-in-law of Laxman Nayak,
made a maiden visit to Berhampur circle jail to have a glimpse
of the place, where the legendary tribal freedom fighter was
imprisoned and hanged on November 22, 1943.
Rukuna, the last member of the martyr's family in
Orissa's tribal dominated Malkanagiri district, came from her
native place near Mathili in Malkanagiri yesterday and broke
down when she garlanded the statue outside the prison and
photos inside his cell, which was now made a memorial with his
belongings by the state government.
"I have performed a great job by visiting this place.
Let his soul remain in peace," said Rukuna who was just
eight-year-old and not married when Nayak was hanged.
Following a request by her to pay a visit to the jail
at least once in her life as his last successor, the state
government allowed Rukuna a visit. Her late husband had also
tried the same several times, but could not succeed due to
several reasons, she said.
Nayak had led a tribal movement in Koraput district in
1943 against the British regime. He had been kept in the
Berhampur circle jail before being hanged to death.
-PTI
First Published: Thursday, November 26, 2009, 16:01