TD MLA, ex-MLA gunned down in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam: Maoists shot dead a Telugu Desam MLA Kidari Sarveswar Rao of Araku constituency and former MLA Siveri Soma, both belonging to the Scheduled Tribes, in the Agency area of Visakhapatnam district on Sunday.

Police said Sarveswar Rao, a government whip, and Soma died on the spot in an area considered “semi affected” by the Maoists.

They were shot in an area between Liviriputyu and Tottangi in Dumbriguda mandal. They had ventured into the area without intimating the police, the police said.

The incident took place during the week-long celebrations of the Maoists’ Formation Day.

Relatives of Sarveswar Rao, Siveri Soma and local tribals protested the attack by setting on fire two police stations.

Over 60 Maoists, including women, were said to have been involved in the attack.

The two politicians were returning to Arakul by car when the vehicle was intercepted and slogans raised against the MLA. A group of Maoists then materialised and had a prolonged discussion with the two politicians over the illegal mining activities of the MLA.

Sources in the police said that in the past the MLA had received threats on multiple occasions from the Maoists.

Sarveswara Rao was a first-time legislator elected on a YSR Congress ticket but switched over to the Telugu Desam. He was made the government wh-ip in the Assembly. They snatched the weapons from the security detail of the two men before opening fire, said the driver of the MLA’s car. Both politicians were found in a pool of blood with bullet injuries, he added.

Sarveswara Rao was a first-time legislator elected on a YSR Congress ticket but switched over to the Telugu Desam. He was made the government whip in the Assembly.

Visakha Range DIG Ch. Srikanth and Visakha Rural SP Rahul Dev Sharma said they had issued notice to all politicians on the hit list of Maoists to inform the district administration prior to their visit to villages and remote areas. But the two politicians had not done so though both had received threats from Maoists in the past.

The DIG said that the bodies of the MLA and former MLA will be shifted to KG Hospital in Visakhapatnam city. “We have intensified combing operations,” he added.