Punnapra-Vayalar Uprising was a workers’ uprising led by the Communist Party in the Princely State of Travancore, British India, during October 1946. Workers’ agitations led by communist trade unions for labour rights during that period had culminated in a massive rebellion against the tyrannical rule of the King and his Diwan (Prime Minister), C. P. Ramaswami Iyer. A large number of workers who participated in that rebellion against the rule of Ramaswami Iyer were killed by the army of the Diwan during October 1946. Hundreds got killed in police firing at Punnapra (October 24), Mararikulam (October 26) and at Vayalar, Olathala and Menachery on October 27.
