VIJAYAWADA: Tension prevailed at Gottimukkala village in Kanchakacharla mandal of Krishna district following the murder of a YSRC leader Sunday night.
According to sources, village upa sarpanch and YSRC leader Alokam Krishna Rao (56) was attacked by some persons allegedly belonging to TDP.
Nearly 30 persons descended on the house around 11 pm and dragged him out and beat him black and blue with sticks. He succumbed to the injuries on the spot. Enraged at this, a large number of YSRC activists led by party leader Mondithoka Jaganmohan Rao staged a dharna with the body of Krishna Rao on the busy Vijayawada-Hyderabad national highway at Nehru Bomma Centre in Kanchakacharla, causing a one-hour traffic jam Monday morning.
The agitators relented only after Nandigama DSP D C Hussain assured them that the accused would be arrested within 24 hours. It is said that old rivalry had led to the murder of Krishna Rao.
Condemning the murder, former minister and YSRC leader Kolusu Parthasarathy alleged that TDP leaders were behind the murder. He also said that the deceased had urged the police to provide protection to him as he was facing a threat to his life. YSRC Farmers Cell convener MVS Nagi Reddy alleged that the TDP leaders were encouraging political murders.
Meanwhile, the police have formed two teams to nab the accused and also set up a picket in the village.