Key accused in TDP office attack case surrenders

Amaravati, Oct 14 : YSRCP student wing leader Panuganti Chaitanya, a key accused in the 2021 attack on the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) office, on Monday surrendered before a court at Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district.

Chaitanya, who is the President of the student wing of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), is said to be a close aide of YSRCP MLC Lella Appi Reddy, also an accused in the case.

Chaitanya was allegedly absconding since the TDP-led NDA government came to power in June. He surrendered in court a day after the state government decided to hand over the case to the CID.

Meanwhile, in view of the delay in the handing over of the case to CID was delayed due to some technical issues, the police continued its probe.

Three YSRCP leaders on Monday appeared before the police for questioning.

Appi Reddy, Devineni Avinash, and Talasila Raghuram were grilled by the police for two hours at Mangalagiri police station. The police officials questioned the accused by showing photographs of those seen participating in the attack. However, the accused told police that they did not know them.

The government on Sunday decided to hand over to the CID the cases relating to the attack on the TDP office and the residence of N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2021.

A large number of supporters of YSRCP had attacked the TDP office on October 19, 2021, after TDP spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram had made some objectionable comments against the then Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The YSRCP supporters had barged into the TDP office and ransacked the premises damaging furniture and breaking window panes. The TDP leaders had alleged that the attackers seen armed with sticks and even hammers damaged the cars parked outside the office.

In September 2021, some YSRCP leaders had also allegedly attacked the residence of the TDP President and then Leader of Opposition Chandrababu Naidu.

After the TDP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in June this year, police launched a fresh investigation into both cases. YSRCP's former MLC Nandigama Suresh and MLCs Appi Reddy and Raghuram, and party leader Devineni Avinash were among those named in the TDP office attack case.

Last month, police arrested former MP and YSR Congress Party leader Nandigama Suresh after the Andhra Pradesh High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail petitions filed by him and other leaders. Former minister Jogi Ramesh, other YSRCP leaders, and their followers were booked for the alleged attack on Naidu’s residence.