The Hindu : Chandrababu Naidu survives landmine blast

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 02, 2003

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Chandrababu Naidu survives landmine blast

By A. Devarajan with Agencies

A shell-shocked and bleeding Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, is helped into the Government Ruia hospital in Tirupati for first aid after the blast. (By special arrangement)

TIRUPATI Oct. 1.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, today survived an attempt on his life when suspected People's War naxalites exploded improvised claymore mines targeting his motorcade on the Tirumala ghat road at 4.15 p.m. Mr. Naidu suffered fractures on his right hand and collar bone and minor injuries on the chest and nose.

The impact of the blast was such that Mr. Naidu's bullet-proof car was hurled in the air. The explosion left a huge crater on the road. The car was virtually reduced to metal scrap, but its interior was intact. A catastrophe was averted because the car could absorb the impact of the powerful blast.

The explosion occurred when the convoy had travelled hardly 100 metres from the Alipiri toll gate. Police officials who were in the convoy said the mines were kept under stones on the road side and were set off using a camera flash-gun. This is the second attempt on the life of Mr. Naidu, who is top on the hit list of extremists.

The others in the car, the Puttur MLA, R. Rajasekhara Reddy, and the Tirupati MLA, Chadalavada Krishnamurthy, were seriously injured, while the Information Technology Minister, B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, suffered a shoulder fracture. The driver, Srinivasa Raju, was also badly injured.

Security personnel pushing up Mr. Naidu's battered bullet-proof car which fell on its side in the impact of the blast. - PTI

Sniffer dogs were pressed into service and a massive combing of the thickets off the ghat road was on.

Chaos followed the blast and security personnel and others were seen scampering around. A VIP who was in the convoy said the blast was so powerful that huge stones landed on the vehicles behind Mr. Naidu's car shattering the windscreens of some. Sources said that the rear portion of Mr. Naidu's car bore the brunt of the attack. Mr. Naidu was seated beside the driver. Those sitting in the back seat were badly injured.

Soon after the blast, the Chief Minister managed to get out of the mangled car with the help of security personnel. A bleeding and shell-shocked Mr. Naidu was first taken to the SVRR General Hospital and later to the TTD's super speciality Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences in Tirupati. Those seriously injured were rushed to the hospital. As he was carried in a stretcher into the hospital, Mr. Naidu looked conscious but had his eyes closed.

Mr. Naidu's mother, Ammanamma, was seen sobbing as he was carried into the emergency ward.

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