Poll-related violence continues in Andhra, TDP worker killed in Kurnool

Taking to ‘X’ to post about it, Jagan wrote: “There is a very scary atmosphere with Telugu Desam Party attacks across the state. Government and private properties like village secretariats and RBIs are being destroyed everywhere. Leaders and activists of YSRCP are left unprotected. The police system has become dull due to the pressures of the ruling party.”

రాష్ట్ర వ్యాప్తంగా తెలుగుదేశం పార్టీ దాడులతో అత్యంత భయానక వాతావరణం నెలకొంది. ప్రభుత్వం ఏర్పాటుకాకముందే టీడీపీ ముఠాలు స్వైరవిహారం చేస్తున్నాయి. ఎక్కడికక్కడ గ్రామ సచివాలయాలు, ఆర్బీకేల్లాంటి ప్రభుత్వ, ప్రైవేటు ఆస్తులను ధ్వంసం చేస్తున్నారు. వైయస్సార్‌సీపీకి చెందిన నాయకులు,…

— YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) June 6, 2024

In this backdrop, several incidents of violence, including the murder of a TDP leader, have been reported in the past few days.

Police said TDP leader Gourinath Chowdary was murdered by his opponents at Veldurthi Mandal in the Kurnool district. The incident occurred in Bommirreddipalle village and the police have been deployed to maintain law and order in the region.

“Chowdary was murdered over an argument at Bommireddypalli village in Veldurthi mandal,” Pattikonda sub-divisional police officer Srinivas Reddy said.

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He said a murder case has been registered and police are on the hunt for those behind it.

TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh alleged that YSRCP was behind Chowdary’s murder, and assured that the TDP would stand by the family of the deceased.

“Even after losing, YS Jagan is continuing to write a bloody history. TDP leader Gowrinath Chowdary from Bommireddypalli in Kurnool district’s Veldurthi mandal has been murdered,” Lokesh posted on ‘X’.

Assuring that the culprits will not be spared, Lokesh said law and order would be restored.

Kurnool SP visited the village and assured the residents of security measures. The police have also set up a picket in the village to prevent any further untoward incidents.

This is the situation in Andhra Pradesh!

Heart-wrenching visuals from Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh.@JaiTDP leaders are targeting Dalits in the state who raise their voices against them. They are literally threatening the lives of Dalits, forcing them to apologize to @naralokesh… pic.twitter.com/6Id1s8Lwxt

— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) June 9, 2024

Man forced to apologise

Meanwhile, YSRCP’s ‘X’ account posted a video alleging that a party supporter was humiliated, compelled to kneel and apologise to a poster of Lokesh.

A half-naked man can be seen in the video sobbing and apologising to that poster. The video went viral on social media.

“Heart-wrenching visuals from Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh. TDP leaders are targeting Dalits in the state who raise their voices against them. They are literally threatening the lives of Dalits, forcing them to apologise to Lokesh publicly,” said YSRCP in the post.

Further, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan: “Is this the development that you promised to bring in the state?”

YSRCP leaders — former minister Kodali Nani’s residence in Krishna district and former MLA Vallabhaneni Vamshi’s residence in Vijayawada — were also allegedly attacked by TDP workers.

The NDA romped to victory in Andhra Pradesh, winning 164 Assembly seats apart from 21 Lok Sabha constituencies. The Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP could only manage to win 11 Assembly and four Parliamentary seats.

(Edited by Neena with PTI inputs).