Jagan attack: Man who stabbed YSRCP chief intended to kill him, NIA finds

Srinivasa Rao, the man who attacked YSR Congress Chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, reportedly had the intention of killing him, according to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) charge sheet filed in January with the Andhra Pradesh High court. The assailant had complete knowledge of Jagan’s movement and also had help, reports say.

The NIA had filed their charge sheet in the case on January 23, 2019, one month after taking over the case from the Andhra Pradesh State Police. In their charge sheet, the NIA named Srinivasa as the sole accused and submitted to the court a 22-page letter written by the accused to his friends. The NIA is still investigating the conspiracy angle and had directed its staff not to reveal the details of the charge sheet or the letter to anyone until further orders.

However, on Saturday, the media reported that the NIA's charge sheet had mentioned that Srinivasa had sought help from one Hemalatha, working as a cashier at Fusion Foods inside the airport. The lady spoke to the associates of the YSRC leader to allow Srinivasa to take a selfie with Jagan.

Hemalatha had reportedly told Srinivasa that he would get a chance to take a selfie with Jagan on October 25 before he boarded a flight to Hyderabad.

While taking a selfie with his left hand, the assailant took out a knife from his trousers right pocket and attacked Jagan with the intention of stabbing him in the neck, but instead inflicted an injury on his upper left arm, the NIA reportedly found.

The NIA had told the Special Court that the accused had confessed during the interrogation conducted between January 12 and 18.

The investigating agency has reportedly found fault with the airport authorities for not conducting a proper background check of the attacker. The background check done by the airport police had shown no pending cases against the attacker within their jurisdiction.

However, the NIA pointed out that the police failed to verify the attacker's background outside their station limits. Srinivasa obtained an entry pass that allowed him to get close to Jagan as he was vetted by the airport police. The NIA has mentioned that Srinivasa Rao was earlier accused in a case registered at Mummidivaram police station.

The NIA has slapped Section 3A(1)(a) of the Civil Aviation Act (The Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982) and also under Section 307 of the IPC for attempt to murder, and has sent letter to the Centre for a formal permission to prosecute the accused in the Civil Aviation Act.

A request also has been made by the NIA to the Special Court hearing the case to allow them to investigate the case further.

The YS Jagan Attack case will be next heard on February 12 by the Special NIA Court Additional In charge Judge Achyutha Parthsarathy.