In an incident that shook Proddatur city in Andhra's Kadapa district, a man was attacked and brutally hacked to death, in broad daylight in full view of the public.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning, even as a large group of onlookers watched the murder, while some filmed it on their phones.
According to media reports, the victim has been identified as Maruthi, and was a native of Devagudi Village in Jammalamadugu Mandal.
He reportedly split with his wife two years ago, and had been fighting a case in court.
Reports add that he had fallen in love with another woman, whose family is suspected to be behind the murder.
A video that has surfaced shows one man holding the victim down, as another man hacks the victim with a sickle at least 11 times.
As soon as they were informed of the incident, the police rushed to the spot and shifted the body.
Stating that Maruthi was a close relative of Andhra Minister Adi Narayana, India Today reported that the culprits were arrested.
Further details are awaited.
This incident comes less than a week after a YSR Congress leader and his aide were brutally hacked to death by members of a rival faction at Ramakrishnapuram in Krishnagiri mandal of Kurnool district.
Members of the rival group hurled bombs, and attacked the politician and his aide Sambasivudu, with knives and sickles.
Cherukulapadu Narayana Reddy was in charge of the party’s Pathikonda constituency and was on his way back to Krishnagiri when the incident took place.
However, the police have stated that this latest incident has nothing to do with faction related violence in the Rayalaseema region, and appears to be a personal affair.