Andhra Pradesh

Naidu visits injured party activists

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam Party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has contested the statement of the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, that shrapnel from country-made bombs had been found in the bodies of both the dead and the injured in the violence that rocked Penukonda in Anantapur district on Friday.

After calling on the eight injured brought to the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences here on Sunday, he told presspersons that doctors have brought to his notice that all the injuries were caused by bullets and some of the victims still had remains of bullets in them. He was accompanied by several TDP leaders including the Mayor T. Krishna Reddy, MP, K. Ramamohan Rao, and MLA, G. Sayanna.

After speaking to Kistappa of Bidanipalli in Roddam mandal of Anantapur district, Mr. Naidu showed a bullet removed from a wound to photographers and videographers.

Blaming the Congress for what he called its factionalism he reiterated his demand for a judicial enquiry by a sitting judge into the violence.

At a ward on the fifth floor of the general block he spoke to G. Kondanna, Satish Kumar, Idisilappa and R. Suresh, before going down to the first floor and meeting Kistappa and Mareppa. Later, he called on Venkateshwar Rao and Basheer Khan, who were in emergency care. All eight were natives of Penukonda Assembly constituency.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu asked the victims to be brave, saying the TDP would do everything for their speedy recovery.

He would not announce any aid specifically, keeping in mind the election model code of conduct that was in force.

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