Andhra Pradesh: YSRC leader assassinated

Kurnool: YSRC leader Kangati Lakshmi Narayana Reddy, popularly known as Cherukulapadu Narayana Reddy, and his aide were killed near Ramakrish-napuram in Krishnagiri mandal of Kurnool district on Sunday.

The killing sent shock waves in Kurnool district, coming as it did on the heels of the murder of two YSRC workers in Sirivella in Allagadda constituency in the first week of this month.

The killers rammed an empty tractor at high speed into the car in which Narayana Reddy was travelling towards Cherukulapadu. Some men reportedly hurled crude bombs at the YSRC leader and later attacked them with hunting knives.

Narayana Reddy, 50, died instantaneously of wounds suffered he suffered to the head, neck and face. His follower Sambasivudu was killed while four others were injured.

The tractor, which became immobilised after hitting the car, was left on the spot while the assailants fled in other vehicles. It was suspected that the attackers followed Narayana Reddy from Krishnagiri. They had selected a spot between Krishnagiri and Ramakri-shnapuram to carry out the murder.

Police and rescue workers struggled to remove the bodies from the mangled remains of the car. YSRC district convener Gouru Venakat Reddy and other pary key leaders who visited the spot blamed the TD leaders for the murder.

A hostile crowd greeted superintendent of police A. Ravikrishna and police officers who rushed to the spot. The followers of Narayana Reddy raised slogans against the police and smashed the panes of a few buses.

A case was registered against 18 persons on charges of murdering Narayana Reddy and other one on Sunday on a complaint filed by his relative with the Veldurti police station.

Among the accused are Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy’s loyalists and some other persons. It may be recalled that  Narayana Reddy, who belonged to Cherukulapadu in Krishnagiri mandal, was a staunch supporter and relative of former Union minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy.