TIRUPATI: A journalist working for ABN Andhra Jyothi was brutally murdered during a morning walk in V Kota on Tuesday. Reporter Jagan Mohan Reddy was chased and attacked with sharp weapons by unidentified assailants, while another journalist, Mani, sustained injuries while trying to intervene.
Chittoor SP Tushar Dudi, who inspected the crime scene, cautioned against spreading rumours or making provocative statements that could disturb communal harmony. He stressed that strict action would be taken against anyone attempting to create unrest.
Local residents alleged that the killing may have been an act of revenge linked to Jagan Mohan’s recent role in exposing illegal red sandalwood smuggling. Reports suggest that an individual jailed in connection with the case was recently released, intensifying suspicions of retaliation. Some residents also pointed to past communal tensions and the involvement of anti-social elements, prompting police to probe all possible angles.
Speaking to the media in V Kota, SP Dudi assured that police are investigating the motive thoroughly and that the accused would be traced and arrested on a war footing. VKota police have registered a case and launched a detailed investigation, collecting evidence, CCTV footage, and verifying local claims.
The SP directed Palamaneru DSP Prabhakar and sub-divisional officers to identify and arrest the culprits at the earliest. Special teams have been formed to ensure swift progress in the case.
Meanwhile, several journalist associations strongly condemned the murder and demanded immediate arrest and stringent punishment for those responsible.
Leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Broadcasters and Journalists Federation, including Valigalam Gopi, Gandhi, Jayaraj, D Kiran, and Prasad Reddy, described the killing as a shocking and unacceptable attack on the media fraternity.