Ex-CM and wife escape unhurt in landmine blast; one held

Nellore/Hyderabad, Sep 7 (UNI) Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and MP N Janardhan Reddy and his wife and State Women and Child Welfare Minister N Rajyalaxmi today had a miraculous escape when CPI(Maoist) Naxals triggered a landmine blast at Vakadu village in Nellore District, that claimed three lives.

Mr Reddy, who fell unconscious immediately after the landmine went off was taken to Chitwel, where he was given first aid. On the advice of his security personnel, he, along with his wife, later went to their hometown Nellore amid tight security.

A suspected Naxal of the CPI (Maoist) party was picked up from the blast site when found moving under suspicious circumstances.

He was being interrogated.

Speaking to UNI on phone, Nellore District Superintendent of Police Laxma Reddy said the former CM was proceeding to Tirupati in a convoy of 21 cars to receive an honorary doctorate from the Sri Venkateswara University when the Naxals set off a landmine placed beneath a culvert, killing a driver and two Congress leaders.

The police official said forensic experts collected the remnants of the blast material from the site to carry out investigation. He said a camera flash was also recovered from the spot which was used to trigger the landmine.

The three victims were identified as Nagarjuna Reddy and Dasaiah, both close associates of Mr Reddy, and car driver Mallikarjun.

This was the second attempt on the life of Mr Reddy, who took a tough stand against insurgents and contained violent activities effectively during his regime. In February 2003, when he was the MP of Narasaraopet in Guntur district, police had detected a landmine placed under a culvert and defused it before his car passed the way.

Speaking to newspersons, Mr Reddy said the attack was apparently aimed at him and his wife. It was shocking that such an incident should happen in Nellore District, known for peace and tranquility, he added.

Ms Rajyalaxmi expressed deep sorrow over the death of Nagarjuna Reddy, a close follower of Mr Reddy, in the blast.

The issue also figured in the Lok Sabha where Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi informed the members that that the former chief minister N Janardhana Reddy, who is also a member of the House, had a narrow escape when his convoy was attacked by Naxalites. He said the Lok Sabha needed to condemn this dastardly attack.

Speaker Somnath Chatterjee expressed a similar sentiment and condemned the attack.

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