Chandrababu's son Nara Lokesh booked for 'attempt to murder'

Amaravati, Oct 20 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Police on Wednesday lodged an attempt to murder case against Telugu Desam Party (TDP) General Secretary Nara Lokesh and four other TDP leaders.

Lokesh, who is the son of TDP President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and others have also been booked under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

An FIR was registered at the Mangalagiri police station against the TDP leaders for allegedly attacking a police officer at TDP's central office in Manglagiri on Tuesday. On a complaint filed by reserve inspector G. Sakru Naik, the police booked the case against Lokesh, Member of Legislative Council Ashok Babu, Alapati Raja, T. Shravan Kumar and P. Srinivas Rao.

According to the police, the officer was abused in the name of his caste and was physically assaulted when he went to the TDP office in plain clothes at around 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday after an attack there by alleged supporters of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

The complainant said that though he showed his identity card, the accused assaulted him with an intention to kill and also abused him in the name of his caste. He said he fell unconscious due to the injuries and was rescued by a police officer who shifted him to the Government General Hospital in Guntur for treatment.

Meanwhile, Lokesh said that though he went to the TDP office at 8.30 p.m., a false case of attempt to murder has been registered against him. He said the policeman was caught while suspiciously moving in the TDP office. He was stated to have attacked TDP activists and damaged the furniture along with the YSRCP activists. However, that person was handed over to the police.

Lokesh demanded the DGP to explain why the policeman came to the TDP office premises along with the attackers. No action has been taken so far against the rioters but the police are filing cases against the TDP leaders, he said.

The TDP leader claimed that there are many evidences to prove the nexus between the police and the YSRCP goons.

Meanwhile, the police have also registered a case against 70 people, said to be workers of YSRCP, in connection with the attack on TDP headquarters. The case was booked on a complaint filed by Badri, an employee at the TDP office who received injuries in the attack.

CPI state Secretary K. Ramakrishna on Wednesday visited TDP's central office and described the vandalism as an attempt to murder democracy.

He went round to see the damaged furniture and vehicles in the premises. Lokesh showed him the damages and narrated how the miscreants trespassed, ransacked the premises and caused injuries to people.

Ramakrishna said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should tender an apology for what happened at the main opposition party's offices. The attacks were carried out on the TDP offices as per a well-laid plan and under the supervision of the ruling party leadership, he said.

The TDP central office at Mangalagiri and party offices in other parts of the state were attacked by alleged supporters of YSRCP on Tuesday after TDP spokesman Pattabhi Ram used abusive words against the Chief Minister.

Unidentified persons also attacked Pattabhi Ram's house in Vijayawada.