Jagan, Naidu, PK: In poll season, Andhra politicians under attack from stone pelters

Vijayawada: For the last two days, prominent politicians in Andhra Pradesh have been under attack from stone pelters.

Stone pelting has become more frequent during public meetings and road shows in the last two days.

It started on Saturday when unknown miscreants pelted stones at Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy while he was on his "Memu Siddham'' bus yatra in Vijayawada.

Jagan sustained a minor injury on his left eyebrow when he was greeting the people near the Vivekananda School at Singh Nagar in Vijayawada and the doctors attended him immediately. After duly noting the assault on Jagan, the Election Commission of India directed the DGP KV Rajendranath Reddy and Vijayawada CP Kanti Rana Tata to submit a report.

The stone pelting incident on Jagan attracted national attention, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief ministers from Tamil Nadu and West Bengal MK Stalin, and Mamata Banerjee all vehemently denouncing the stone attack on Jagan.

Along with Jagan, Vijayawada West MLA Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao also sustained an injury to his left eye. However, the chief minister received first aid aboard his bus and then went back to campaigning for around three more hours before halting for the night.

Vijayawada Government General Hospital (GGH) provided first aid and sutures to Jagan and MLA Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao, who had a cut above his left eyebrow, according to the Chief Minister's Office. The Vijayawada police said an FIR has been lodged on the grounds of possible under Section 307 (attempt to murder) at Ajith Singh Nagar police station based on a statement given by the MLA.

The officials further stated that the CM's security would be examined, particularly while he is greeting or speaking to the public from the top of his special election vehicle. After being advised by the doctors, Jagan took a break for his bus yatra on Sunday at Kesarapalli in the suburbs of Vijayawada, and he would resume his yatra as usual on Monday morning.

After Jagan, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan was attacked by stone pelters on Sunday. An unknown miscreant allegedly threw a stone at Pawan Kalyan as he was holding his demonstration in Tenali of Guntur district on his election campaigning vehicle ‘Varahi’. Luckily, it fell far away and missed Pawan. The offender was apprehended by Jana Sena leaders who were present at the scene in a matter of minutes. They subsequently handed over the culprit to the police.

At Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam district, unknown miscreants also threw stones at TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu while he was participating in a public meeting on his ‘Praja Galam’ vehicle. Fortunately, Naidu had a narrow escape from the stone-pelting attack.

Police launched a probe to identify the unknown miscreants. Reacting to the incident, Naidu said that attacks were not new to him. He also recalled that unknown miscreants attacked him during the previous elections and did not even fear the claymore mine attacks on him at Alipiri in 2003.

“Jagan was attacked under the cover of darkness on Saturday. Now the unknown miscreants attacked me without disrupting the power supply. They'll be driven out by people who won't let them leave. The blade and ganja gangs have also made their way to this location. I have no idea what the police are up to. We'll talk about the drama in Vijayawada. That's why I'm cautioning them. Individuals will rebel against them and expose them if they carry on with these cheesy tactics. Hold your J-gang in check, Jagan Reddy. During Pawan Kalyan's Varahi yatra in Tenali stones were hurled against him,” the TDP president said and added that people would teach a befitting lesson to the YSRCP in the forthcoming elections.