A leader of Andhra Pradesh's opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was hacked to death by unidentified persons in Guntur district on Thursday, January 13. Thota Chandraiah (38) was murdered in the Gundlapadu village in Veldurthi mandal when he was on a two-wheeler. A group of assailants allegedly waylaid and attacked him with knives and sticks. The TDP leader died on the spot.
The incident led to tension in the village. Police registered a case of murder and launched a hunt for the assailants, according to IANS, while Chandraiah's family members alleged that his political rivals were behind the killing. Police intensified patrolling to prevent any untoward incident.
TDP national president and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has condemned the murder. He will visit the village, situated in Macherla Assembly constituency, later in the day to console the family of the slain leader.
The leader of Opposition alleged that under the “anarchic rule” of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) several TDP functionaries have lost their lives. He alleged that the YSRCP was resorting to killing the TDP leaders and workers who were raising their voice against the misrule.
Trigger Warning: Graphic Images
హత్యా రాజకీయాల వారసుడు @ysjagan సీఎం అవ్వడంతో ప్రజలకు, ప్రతిపక్షాలకు రక్షణ లేకుండా పోయింది. ప్రశ్నించే వారిపై దాడులు, పోరాడే వారిని అంతమొందించడం అలవాటుగా మారింది. పాలనతో ప్రజల్ని మెప్పించలేక ప్రభుత్వాన్ని ఎండగడుతున్న వారిని చంపి ప్రతిపక్షం గొంతునొక్కే ప్రయత్నం చేస్తున్నారు.(1/3) pic.twitter.com/1SzpUaGGSM
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) January 13, 2022
Meanwhile, TDP national General Secretary Nara Lokesh also condemned Chandraiah's murder. He alleged that the YSRCP faction in the constituency had killed Chandraiah as he had been raising his voice against the ruling party's alleged atrocities. In a tweet, Lokesh said that the general public and the Opposition leaders had no safety ever since “an heir to murder politics became the Chief Minister,” referring to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Lokesh went on to allege that the Chief Minister and his party leaders did not know how to impress the people with development activities, and have instead started victimising all those who questioned their inefficiency. Chandraiah had been serving as the TDP village unit president according to Lokesh, who said that his murder was highly condemnable.
Lokesh called upon the people to revolt and “unitedly fight against the lawless mobs of the ruling YSRCP in Macherla constituency.” He said the TDP would extend all the required support to the Chandraiah's family.