SHIVAMOGGA: “Houses of freedom fighters in this village were burnt, women were raped and over a hundred people were arrested. Five freedom fighters were hanged and the rest were punished with death sentences,” said N S Satish Chandra, the grandson of freedom fighter N S Huchhrayaappa from Isuru village in Shivamogga.
It was the first village to declare itself independent in 1942. When a village officer came for collection of taxes on September 25, his registers were seized by the village youth. The next day, the villagers put up a board declaring that it was a freedom village.
“When the amaldar and inspector came here, the villagers insisted that they wear Gandhi caps. In the duel, villagers killed both the officers,” he said. The British seized the village and hanged Gurappa, Jinahalli Mallappa, Suryanarayanachar, Badakalli Halappa and Goudru Shankarappa.