Widespread outrage was seen when a Telugu Desam Party leader was brutally murdered in Andhra Pradesh. Although YSRCP activists often vociferously condemn violence meted out to their party workers, it has rankled TDP workers as there is near silence by YSRCP leaders about the cold-blooded murder of one of the activists from their party.
The shocking event took place in Nancharamma Peta in Chilikuru mandal, Chittoor district, where TDP leader Hari Prasad lived. He was active in party activities and had stepped out of his house on Monday night with a relative, Kattayya. Soon after, he returned to Kattayya’s house and slept there.
In the early hours of Tuesday, assumed rivals traced him out and, in an horrific act of terrorism, poured petrol on the sleeping Hari Prasad, setting him on fire. Hari Prasad, stuck in the flames, was horribly burned to death, and his screams of agony were heard by several residents who were nearby.
As soon as the news spread, Hari Prasad’s family members and all his supporters rushed to the spot, which further escalated the tension. The victim’s family informed the police that YSRCP leader Katta Ramachandra Reddy along with some of his aides was responsible for the attack. In their complaint, they further mentioned that these individuals had directly set Hari Prasad on fire.
The police have filed a case and conducted a manhunt on Katta Ramachandra Reddy along with his associates. The indignant TDP workers are now accusing YSRCP leaders for their silence on the murder even though they had earlier expressed apprehension over the violence unleashed on the party men.
This horrific incident has brought to the fore the fact that political violence in the state is on the rise, alarming concerns across party lines. With investigations still on, both parties differ over how it was handled, and the political factors of Andhra Pradesh have only grown to taste more bitter.