Nalgonda, March 28: Sambasivudu, a former People’s War naxalite who is a Polit Bureau member of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti(TRS) was fatally stabbed by 10 persons travelling in two cars at Goka Crossroads in Valigonda mandal in Nalgonda district on Saturday night.
The attackers, who used hunting sickles, inflicted about 20 stab injuries on the body. Sambasivudu died on the way to Gandhi Hospital, where he was rushed in critical condition.
The attack took place when the TRS leader was travelling in a car. The assailants who followed him overtook the vehicle and forced him to stop. Caught unaware of the lurking danger, he halted. The attackers pounced on him and stabbed indiscriminately, virtually ripping open the abdomen.
Although initial reports reaching the district headquarters said the assailants were unknown, it is suspected that the gang of former naxalite Nayeem is involved in the incident.
The attackers later abandoned one vehicle they allegedly used at Choutuppal. Police also found a knife allegedly used by them.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar has denied the involvement of either the police or politicians and said efforts were on to nab the assailants at the earliest.
The body of Sambasivudu was brought to his native village Dasireddygudam for funeral. The TRS activists took out rallies in Bhongir and Veligonda to protest the attack.
Bandh in Nalgonda
Hyderabad Special Correspondent adds: The TRS has given a call for bandh in Nalgonda district and withdrew its programme of dharna before electricity sub-stations throughout Telangana on Monday following the killing of Sambasivudu.
The dharna near sub-stations was to demand seven- hour power supply to agriculture sector at least by imposing cut to industry. The SSC exam in Nalgonda district would not be disrupted by the bandh, party leaders said.
TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his senior party colleagues visited Gandhi Hospital on Sunday to pay homage to Sambasivudu. Mr. Rao also rushed to Kamineni Hospital where two others who received injuries in the attack were being treated.
The TRS chief consoled the family members of the slain leader and arranged an ambulance to shift the body to their native village of Dasireddygudem in Nalgonda. Later, TRS MLAs — Eatala Rajender and K.T. Rama Rao — participated in the funeral at the village.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer said it was not difficult to crack the case as the assailants had left their car after attacking Sambasivudu. He added that the police primarily suspected land settlement issues of Sambasivudu as the cause of murder. The role of former Naxalite Nayeem who is absconding for the past four years was also being probed. Nayeem also dabbled in land deals and was notorious for extortions and eliminating his rivals.
The head of forensic science department of Gandhi Hospital G. Surender Reddy said that the slain leader was inflicted deep injuries in abdomen, neck and head. He died within an hour of the attack. Sambasivudu had joined TRS four months ago after spending a year in jail following his surrender before police in February 2009. He was straightaway inducted into the polit bureau of the party.
President of AP BC Samkshema Sangham R. Krishnaiah has demanded that the State government order a CBI probe into the murder
–Agencies