In a big security lapse at the Visakhapatnam airport in Andhra Pradesh, a youth attacked the Leader of Opposition and YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy with a small knife, injuring him on the left arm on Thursday morning, police said.
The assailant, identified as Jaripalli Srinivas, a waiter at the airport canteen was caught immediately and a knife was seized from him.
The incident occurred in the VIP lounge of the airport, where Jagan was waiting for the flight to leave for Hyderabad. According to the eyewitnesses, the waiter approached Reddy when he was taking rest and after placing a cup of tea before him, he requested for a selfie with him. He also discussed the electoral prospects of Jagan’s party and asked whether it will win 160 seats in the next Assembly elections. As Jagan smiling agreed for a selfie, Srinivas whipped out a razor edged knife normally used in cock fight in Andhra region and attacked causing a bleeding injury on his left arm. The security personnel standing at the door plunged on the assailant and overpowered him as Jagan tried to recover from the shock.
The YSRC Congress party president, who was on Padyatra (walkathon) in Vizianagaram district was leaving for Hyderabad to mark his weekly presence in a court in connection with disproportionate assets case on Friday.
As the news created a sensation across the State and Reddy’s supporters staged protests and vandalised the airport, State director general of police R P Thakur said that the attack was apparently a planned act and prima facie the aim of the assailant was to get publicity. “The assailant was nabbed by the airport security staff and handed over to the police”, he said. Police found a nine page letter in attacker’s pocket and it was being analysed to establish the motive of the attack.
Srinivas, a resident of Thaniyalapally near Amalapuram in East Godavari district is a junior college dropout.
Even as the YSRCP leaders lashed out at the police for the security lapse, DGP Thakur pointed out that the airport security was under the Central Industrial Security Force and police had no role in it.
“CISF commandant Dinesh Kumar handed over the assailant to police and our people are interrogating him”, Thakur said adding that the content of the letter will be released later.