Andhra Pradesh: Police book Chirala MLA's kin for attacking journalist

Vijayawada: The One Town police has registered a case against Amanchi Sreenivasan Rao, brother of Amanchi Krishna Mohan, MLA from Chirala, under Section 307, but no arrest has been made so far. Mr Rao has been accused of attacking journalist Nagarjuna Reddy in Chirala together with Mr Mohan's followers. Neither the district police superintendent, nor Chirala One Town Inspector K Venkateswara Rao has been available for comment for the last two days. Mr Mohan has said that he will leave the party within minutes if his credentials are suspected by the party elders or the party's national president.

“Thank God everybody has supported me in the latest crisis,” he told this correspondent. Mr Mohan said that he has lodged complaints against Nagarjuna Reddy at the Chirala One Town police station and Vetapalem police station. A civil case will be filed in the Ongole district court, he added. He alleged that Nagarjuna Reddy is a pseudo-naxalite and that it was he who made Nagarjuna Reddy surrender earlier. He said that he suspects the involvement of ex-MLA Paleti Rama Rao and YSRC leaders in implicating him. To a query posed by this correspondent, he said he would leave the party if his credentials were questioned by the party.

About the statement issued by party state president K Kala Venkata Rao directing party leaders and cadres to follow discipline, Mr Mohan said that was a general directive, not particular. When asked about allegations that the district police have been following his orders, the MLA said that if that were true then why has the police registered cases against 18 of his followers in the last two years. Journalist unions JAC have condemned the attack on Mr Reddy.