VIJAYAWADA : The city police, investigating the attack on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at Daba Kottu in Ajith Singh Nagar in Vijayawada last Saturday, have reportedly taken into custody five persons for questioning.
Jagan suffered an injury above his eyebrow when he was hit by a stone hurled at him from the crowd at Vivekananda School in the city.
Former minister and Vijayawada Central candidate Velampalli Srinivasa Rao was also injured in the attack.
The special teams, constituted to probe the case, have picked up at least 16 persons for questioning and narrowed down to five persons whose role is being probed further.
The police collected video recordings from various individuals who took part in the roadshow on Saturday and also the CCTV footage from places near the scene of the offence. Sources said the police have picked up Satish alias Satti of Vaddera Colony in Ajith Singh Nagar. It is said that Satish, along with four of his friends, took part in the roadshow. They are said to be daily wage workers.
Though it was initially suspected that the attacker might have used a sling or an air gun, police have reportedly come to a conclusion that the stone was thrown at a high speed.
The stone, after hitting the Chief Minister, deflected and hit Vellampalli causing him a simple injury on his eye.
Police yet to ascertain motive behind attack on CM Jagan
Police suspect that the attacker had used a piece of tile that is used on pavements for attacking Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Senior police officials confirmed that five persons are in their custody, but are tight-lipped over the motive behind the attack.
Preliminary enquiry suggested that it was an act of mischief, but police are still probing to ascertain if there was any political motive behind the attack.
The ruling YSRC, Opposition TDP and Jana Sena Party are involved in a high decibel war of words over the attack. While the YSRC alleged that the attack was instigated by the TDP, the Opposition parties claim that the incident was stage-managed.