K. P. R. Gopalan
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K.P.R. Gopalan, popularly known as KPR was a freedom fighter and communist leader from Kaliasserry, Kannur, Kerala, India. KPR was active in the Indian National Congress. At one point he was sentenced to death by the colonial authorities.
During the freedom struggle Gopalan was also the prime accused in trial on the murder of two policemen including a Sub-Inspector. On Sept 15, 1940 the British police tried to stop a public gathering organised by the Indian National Congress protesting against famine. A scuffle followed, in which Valapattanam Sub-Inspector K.M. Kuttikrishna Menon and Constable Raman were killed. Gopalan was sentenced to death for this crime, but the British commuted the sentence to life imprisonment after Mahatma Gandhi became involved. There was obvious bias in the British judge's original verdict which found only one from a mob, that too its leader, responsible for the murder of the police official. It was generally agreed that it was political vendetta that resulted in the original verdict. This is exemplified by the fact that Gandhiji, known to be an advocate of anti-violent means of protest, interfered in this case for KPR in spite of the violence involved.
Together with much of the rest of the Congress leadership in Kerala, KPR later joined the Communist Party of India. In the 1964 split KPR sided with Communist Party of India (Marxist). He belonged to the leftist section of CPI(M), and in 1967 he joined the AICCCR and was expelled from CPI(M). He did however develop differences with the left-adventurist leadership of AICCCR, on issues such as elections. His group floated its own party, Communist Revolutionary Party, ahead of the 1970 assembly elections.
He was also a well known chess & soccer (football) player in Kannur circles. He also did a fair bit of football refereeing. He married a widow while into his 70s. However, his wife died much earlier than him. He was the uncle of the former Kerala chief minister, E.K.Nayanar
In his later years, he was known again known to be closer to Communist Party of India (Marxist) although he remained separated from them.
KPR Gopalan died on August 6, 1997.
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