VISAKHAPATNAM: A day after the attack on YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inside Visakhapatnam International Airport, police on Friday said that they recovered another small knife from attacker Janepalli Srinivasa Rao, who has a criminal background.
Briefing media, Visakhapatnam police commissioner Mahesh Chandra Laddha said the police have recovered another small sharp object (2 cm wide) from the attacker’s possession during the investigation. The top cop reached Visakhapatnam on Friday and questioned Srinivasa Rao personally at the Airport police station.
Upon analysing the accused’s phone data, the police have come to know that he made around 10,000 calls in the past one year and changed nine SIM cards during the period, Laddha said. “Days before the attack, he again changed the SIM card in his mobile phone,” he added.
Meanwhile, police sources claimed the attack on the YSRC chief was the brainchild of the accused himself. He was not influenced by any politician or individual. “He seems to be under the impression that an attack on the Opposition leader before elections will bring a public sympathy in Jagan’s favour,” they claimed.
Laddha said Srinivasa Rao has a criminal background in Thanelanka village in Mummadivaram mandal. A case, related to a petty fight, was filed against him two years ago at Mummidivaram police station under Sections 320, 323 and 506 of the IPC.
The SIT probing the case had visited his house and conducted searches for nearly seven hours, sources said. The SIT came to know about the accused’s case when they inquired about his antecedents with the local police.
To clear the air on allegations that there were three different handwritings in the 11-page letter recovered from the attacker, Laddha said, “We came to know that the first nine pages of the letter were written by his cousin sister J Vijayalakshmi (16) when he recently went to Thanelanka between October 10 and 14. The remaining part of the letter was written by his colleague at the Vizag airport restaurant T Revatipati (19) of Rangoli village of Palasa Mandal of Srikakulam district.’’
Laddha said, “We are still probing as to how the weapon sneaked into the Vizag airport. We will get to the facts about it soon. We also probed ‘Fusion Foods’ restaurant owner T Harshavardhan Prasad and have recorded his statement. Our probe is on and further developments will be revealed later,” the CP said. Earlier in the day, he along with other police officers also went to the Airport VIP departure lounge area.
DCP, Vizag City, K Phakeerappa said after preliminary inquiry, the police have sent the accused for medical tests to King George Hospital at 6.45 pm on Friday. “Now we will produce him before the court for remand. We will also file a petition requesting the court for custody of the accused for further inquiry.”