Police investigate stone attack on Andhra Pradesh chief minister as attempted murder

Police say all suspects are locals (representative)

Amaravati:

The Vijayawada police have rounded up at least four suspects for hurling stones at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and are treating it as an “attempt to murder”, an official said today.

Unidentified persons pelted stones at the Chief Minister near the Vivekananda School Center in Vijayawada Singh Nagar last night. He sustained an injury to his left temple while campaigning for the polls.

Vijayawada police commissioner Kanthi Ratan Tata said a charge of attempt to murder has been filed under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“We have identified some suspects. We are questioning them and the process is on. A case has been registered under Section 307 of IPC,” Mr. Tata said.

Furthermore, he stressed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) consisting of six officers and four constables has been formed and they are scrutinizing video footage and technical data to identify the accused.

According to Mr Tata, a stone first hit the chief minister and then former minister and YSRCP leader V Srinivas who was standing next to him.

The police chief said all suspects were locals and expressed confidence that the real killer would be identified within days.

On Sunday, YSRCP and TDP leaders engaged in a war of words over the incident.

YSRCP general secretary S Ramakrishna Reddy claimed that the attack was a premeditated and cold-blooded attack.

“Who would plan such an attempt? This stems from the insecurity that the TDP is going through as they are witnessing our leaders going through polls, roadshows and ‘MP Siddam‘(meeting),” he told a news conference.

Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu had instigated crowds in his office recently.Prajagaran‘The (canvassing) meeting attacked Jagan Reddy and claimed that Mr Naidu and his party would benefit if the YSRCP chief cannot meet the masses.

“This leads us to speculate that the TDP and its leader (Naidu) are responsible for the attack,” he said, adding that the injury was a fact- and location-sensitive matter.

Furthermore, he claimed that opposition parties were trying to downplay the incident and make inhumane comments out of “fear of publicity”.

Meanwhile, YSRCP Nellore Lok Sabha candidate V Vijayasai Reddy claimed that Naidu “has never been involved in the politics of believing in development”.

Vijayasai Reddy posted on social media platform

Ruling party leaders, ministers and others have condemned Mr Naidu and the LDP, claiming the opposition party was involved in the attack on the CM.

Chandrababu Naidu condemned the attack on Reddy.

He posted on

However, the TDP claimed that the attack on Jagan Mohan Reddy was carefully planned.

TDP spokesperson Pattabhiram Kommareddy supported Chandrababu Naidu’s call to the Election Commission for an impartial and unbiased probe into the attack and investigated the Time and circumstances raise questions.

“When such acts are so coincidental and synchronized, it only raises questions about the validity of such acts. This is not the first time that the YSRCP has staged such acts, like the infamous ‘kodi kathi’.” ‘This drama is not just to gain sympathy but also to create chaos and unease as elections are approaching,’ Mr Komareddy alleged.

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila condemned the attack, which she said was an accident. However, if that’s not the case, she said, everyone should condemn it.

Ms. Sharmila said she was praying to God for a speedy recovery for her brother.

Meanwhile, a delegation of YSRCP leaders lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over the incident, claiming that the attack was an attempt to “murder” the chief minister.

Ramakrishna Reddy said Jagan Reddy was not disturbed by the attack. He suspended his bus tour on Sunday to rest and is expected to resume from Kesarapalle in NTR district tomorrow.

Elections for Andhra Pradesh’s 175 assembly members and 25 Lok Sabha seats are scheduled for May 13 and counting of votes will take place on June 4.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)