The Hindu Business Line : AP Minister's husband shot dead

M. VENKATARAJU, a Telugu Desam party leader and husband of the Tribal Welfare Minister, Ms M. Manikumari, was shot dead by a suspected naxalite belonging to the People's War in front of his residence on Thursday morning at Paderu, in the agency area (tribal tract) of Visakhapatnam district.

It is learnt that Raju was preparing to leave for Yelamanchili to attend a party meeting and had boarded his car around 9 a.m. when he was attacked by a youth.

According to eyewitnesses, the youth opened fire at point blank range, killing Raju on the spot. The car driver was wounded in the attack.

A few persons in the vicinity gave a chase but could not catch the killer.

The driver was given first aid at Paderu and subsequently brought to the King George Hospital here. He is said to be out of danger.The town observed a bandh in protest against the killing. The police have intensified combing operations in the agency areas of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts to nab the killer.

In another incident, suspected naxalites blasted the market yard at Chintapalli on Wednesday night, but there were no casualties. According to the police, they used land mines to blast the yard.

In related incidents, suspected naxalites set fire to a bus at Sileru in the agency area and a railway station on the Andhra-Orissa border was also blasted on Thursday morning.

After the attack on the Chief Minister, Mr Chandrababu Naidu, at Tirupati, and the subsequent advancement of Assembly elections, naxalites are reported to have intensified their activities, targeting lower-rung Telugu Desam functionaries and leaders.

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AP Minister's husband shot dead