Former AP Legislator murdered

Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, Apr 18: Former Andhra Pradesh Legislator Suryapratap Reddy was killed by unidentified assailants early today at Tadipatri railway station, about 80 km from here.

Mr Reddy, who was coming from Hyderabad, was reportedly attacked by a group of assailants, armed with hunting sickles, as he got down from the Venkatadri Express.

Eyewitnesses said the assailants threw chilli powder on Mr Reddy and murdered him brutally after chasing him on the railway platform for sometime. No arrests had been made so far.

Mr Reddy, a known factionist, was representing Dharmavaram Constitutency in the Andhra Pradesh assembly. He had switched over to Telugu Desam Party(TDP) on the eve of 2004 general elections and unsuccessfully contested as a TDP candidate.

A non-governmental electoral watchdog had then raised an uproar over the TDP nominating Mr Reddy as its candidate, despite his alleged criminal background.

Tension prevailed in Tadipatri, Dharmavaram belt with the supporters of the legislator reportedly going berserk in the wake of his murder.

UNI