YSR Congress Party social media activist Varra Ravindra Reddy from Pulivendula has been missing since he was released by Kadapa police after being served notice in a case involving abusive and derogatory social media posts against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, his family members, and state Congress president Y S Sharmila.
It has been four days since Varra’s whereabouts have been unknown.
His case led to the transfer of Kadapa SP V Harshavardhan Raju, who was sent to vacancy reserve, and the police have reportedly launched a manhunt for Varra.
While there were reports that police had arrested Varra near Mahabubnagar in Telangana, Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen denied this, though he expressed confidence that Varra would be apprehended soon.
Varra’s disappearance has sparked a feud between the YSRCP and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), with each side accusing the other of conspiring to harm him.
On Saturday, YSRCP spokesperson Rachamallu Sivaprasada Reddy claimed that Varra’s life was in danger and demanded that he be presented before the court.
“The way TDP-friendly media is continuously broadcasting headlines and officials, including the DGP, DIG, and SP, are reacting to news of his arrest and disappearance creates an impression that Varra’s life is under threat,” Rachamallu said.
The YSRCP leader described Varra as an innocent, small-time social media activist who merely questioned government failures, and alleged that the ruling party was conspiring to eliminate him.
TDP leader and Pulivendula in-charge B Tech Ravi suggested that Varra might be under YSRCP control and that they could be planning to kill him and place the blame on the government and TDP.
“It’s only pro-YSRCP media and social media that have been reporting Varra’s alleged arrest and escape. This all indicates a YSRCP conspiracy to eliminate him and shift the blame onto the TDP, which is an old tactic of the party leadership,” he alleged.