SANGAREDDY: Telangana MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy was stabbed by an unknown person on Monday. He is the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's candidate for the Dubbak Assembly segment.
The 57-year-old leader was attacked while he was participating in an election campaign in Surampalli village in Dubbak segment. He sustained minor injuries. BRS activists who were present caught hold of the accused and thrashed him.
He was initially treated at Gajwel Hospital and was later moved to a private hospital in Hyderabad.
The accused was identified as Raju, a YouTube 'journalist', hailing from Karimnagar. Raju reportedly told the police that he had asked the MP to make him a beneficiary of the Telangana Dalit Bandhu Scheme but the MP had not sanctioned it.
Raju while shaking hands with the MP brought out a knife and stabbed the MP in the stomach with it.
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Following the incident, Finance Minister T Harish Rao met Prabhakar Reddy at Gajwel Hospital. He said an investigation would be conducted to find out if there was any political conspiracy and added that those responsible would be punished.
Meanwhile, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan condemned the incident and wished Prabhakar Reddy a speedy recovery.
"I am shocked to learn about the attack on Medak MP and BRS Dubbak MLA candidate Kotha Prabhakar Reddy during an election campaign in Surampalli of Doulthabad mandal. Violence has no place in democracy, and such incidents are a threat to the democratic process. I direct the Director General of Police to take stringent measures to investigate and ensure the safety of contesting candidates and campaigners during the election period. It is essential to maintain a peaceful and secure environment for free and fair elections," the Governor said.
After attack on Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, BRS activists burn effigy of BJP MLA
BRS activists accused M Raghunandan Rao, a BJP leader and sitting MLA from Dubbak, of the attack on Kotha Prabhakar Reddy. They burnt his effigy at the Dubbak chowrasta.