The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Another TDP activist killed in Anantapur

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 07, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Another TDP activist killed in Anantapur

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, SEPT. 6. Even before the TDP leaders reached here today to protest against the killing of the Kanaganapalli Mandal Parishad President (MPP), T. Prabhakar, another TDP activist and son of the vice-MPP of Talupula, P. Ramakrishna (37), was killed allegedly by political rivals at Gajulavaripalli in Gandlapenta mandal late last night, taking the number of TDP men killed during the last five months to 12.

Ramakrishna was working as a lineman of AP Transco at Gajulavaripalli sub-station. He was on night shift yesterday.

Attacked repeatedly

Two persons woke him up around 11.25 p.m. in the sub-station and asked for spanners to repair their two-wheeler. The duo attacked him when he was going inside to get the tools. They hacked him repeatedly and fled thinking that he had been killed. But, he managed to reach the village after the assailants fled the scene and shouted for help.

He was rushed to the Government Area Hospital at Kadiri and was given medical care. In his dying declaration to the Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate (Kadiri), Gayatri Devi, he named some of the sarpanches and three hired killers.

Rice scam connection?

Ramakrishna died around 3.30 a.m. on way to the General Hospital, where he was referred to by the Kadiri doctors.

He had actively campaigned for the TDP-backed independent, K. Venkata Prasad, who had contested from Kadiri in the recent Assembly elections.

He had disputes with the local Congress leaders over the sanction of a school at Gunduvaripalli in Talupula mandal, his native place. His mother, P. Venkata Laxmamma, is the vice-MPP of Talupula now. It is also alleged that the Congress sarpanches had a grudge against him for exposing the food-for-work scam in the area.

YSR condemns killings

The Chief Minister, Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, has condemned the Anantapur murders, and said the culprits would be nabbed at the earliest. Talking to The Hindu, he said the Government had already initiated stringent measures to contain the violence in Rayalaseema. All those seeking security were being provided with gunmen. Reacting to the TD criticism, he said the TD president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was trying to exploit the vendetta killings of Rayalaseema for political gain.

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