Maoists has shot a ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and an Andhra lawmaker on Sunday in Visakhapatnam district, said police. Kidari Sarveswara Rao, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader from Araku Valley and former lawmaker Shivari Soma were attacked when they were returning from an event in Livitiput, 15 km from Araku Valley.
According to reports, they were intercepted by a large group of armed Maoists, including women, when they were returning in two vehicles. After engaging in talks with the duo regarding the contentious issue of mining in the area, the Maoists shot at them from point blank range.
The Maoists then used people as human shields and escaped with weapons that the personal security officers of the lawmaker were carrying, police sources said.
"A group of Maoists came along with the villagers and blocked the MLA's car. As the personal security officers of the legislator and the ex-legislator got down, they snatched the AK-47 rifles from them and shot Sarveswara Rao and Soma dead," Visakhapatnam Range Deputy Inspector General of Police CH Srikanth told PTI.
Police sources suspect the involvement of Maoists Andhra-Odisha Border Committee secretary Ramakrishna in the attack.
According to the police, both of them had received threats from Maoists in the past. In July, the tribals had protested against Rao for allegedly obtaining mining lease in the name of his brother-in-law. They had alleged that extraction of black stones was damaging their homes.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, has offered his condolences to Rao's family. All elected representatives in the state have been asked to remain alert.
(Featured Image: Hindustan Times)
