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Congress leader’s gunman opens fire

HYDERABAD: The game of one-upmanship among the local Congress leaders led to an unsavoury incident when two rival groups clashed, forcing the gunman of a leader to open fire in the air at Kapra on the city outskirts on Sunday morning.

None was injured in the firing incident. Over 150 workers belonging to two groups led by Laxma Reddy and Raja Reddy gathered at Kapra as part of the fortnight-long welfare celebrations launched by the ruling Congress. Supporters of both the leaders began raising slogans and soon there was some jostling, the police said.

As the groups jostled, the private gunman of Laxma Reddy whipped out a revolver and fired a shot in air apprehending danger to the life of his employer.

Crowds dispersed, but tension escalated in the area, as news of firing spread like wild fire. Police inquiries revealed that the weapon was a licensed one and that the gunman was hired from a private security service. No arrests have been made in this regard, though a case was registered by the police.

Upset over the clash, APCC president D. Srinivas directed OBC department chairman J. Chittaranjan Das and Ranga Reddy District Congress Committee president K. M. Pratap to submit a report immediately.

Mr. Srinivas immediately telephoned the APCC leaders to know the details of the incident. Sources said the APCC president expressed strong displeasure at the conduct of certain leaders, who were projecting themselves as prospective candidates for the Assembly elections.

Sources said after the delimitation exercise, Uppal, which was earlier part of Medchal, witnessed stiff competition among the Congress leaders aspiring for the ticket.

Tension was increasing in such new constituencies, where the aspirants’ list was growing with each passing day.

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