VIJAYAWADA: In a clear case of security breach, a stone was pelted at Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Vijayawada during his ‘Memanta Siddham’ bus yatra on Saturday.
The YSRC president sustained an injury above his eyebrow and was immediately administered first aid. There was also a mild swelling on his face.
The incident happened around 7.30 pm when Jagan’s cavalcade was passing through Kandrika area in Vijayawada Central constituency. The Chief Minister was greeting the people from atop his caravan when a stone hit his forehead.
It is suspected that a slingshot was used to pitch the stone at him. Security officials immediately brought Jagan into the caravan. Former minister and YSRC candidate for Vijayawada Central Assembly constituency Velampalle Srinivas also suffered an injury in the incident.
Security was beefed up following the incident. However, Jagan continued his roadshow without any interruption.
A senior police officer, who was a part of the Chief Minister’s security, said that they tracked the route of the stone that hit Jagan. He said they are verifying CCTV footage to identify the miscreants, who resorted to stone pelting.
Condemning the incident, YSRC leaders alleged TDP’s role in the stone attack on Jagan.
Describing it as a cowardly act, they said, “Fear of defeat seems to have forced leaders of the tripartite alliance to resort to such underhand methods.”
YSRC activists and supporters staged protests across the State. In some places, portraits of Naidu were burnt.
Later, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu took to social media platform X and said, “I strongly condemn the attack on YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. I request the Election Commission to initiate an impartial and unbiased inquiry into the incident and punish the responsible officials.”
However, TDP State president K Atchannaidu mocked the incident and compared it with the rooster knife episode. Terming the incident ‘Rooster Knife Drama-II’, he claimed that it was all pre-planned with the help of the DGP and Intelligence IG to evoke public sympathy.
“There is no difference between what happened at Vizag Airport in 2019 and now. YSRC ministers and leaders blaming TDP within minutes of the incident, clearly shows that it was a pre-planned,” he said.
A slew of leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wished Jagan a speedy recovery. CM Jagan’s sister and Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee chief YS Sharmila, BRS working president KT Rama Rao and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin condemned the incident.
On day 14 of his ‘Memanta Siddham’ bus yatra, the Chief Minister’s cavalcade crossed the Krishna River at Kanaka Durga Varadhi and entered NTR district from Guntur district on Saturday.
He was accorded a rousing reception at Varadhi. At Tadepalle, Jagan’s wife YS Bharathi stood among the public to greet him.
Despite a brief spell of rainfall in the afternoon, thousands of people thronged Varadhi to catch a glimpse of the Chief Minister. The crowds raised ‘Jai Jagan’ slogans. Vijayawada East Constituency candidate Devineni Avinash welcomed Jagan with a gaja mala, which had the fan symbol on it.