While J Srinivasa Rao, identified as the attacker of YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, was immediately nabbed after the attack, the motive for the attack continues to remain unclear.
Andhra Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Ram Pravesh Thakur claimed that Rao was a “fan” of Reddy, although he did not elaborate on as why a purported “fan” would attack his “idol”.
City police, too said the same that Rao is a “fan” of Reddy though they too could not answer why an alleged fan would attack someone he admires so much.
Mahendra Patrudu, additional deputy commissioner of police (DCP), said Rao has told police that he attacked Reddy to generate sympathy for the opposition leader ahead of the assembly elections in 2019.
Interestingly, Patrudu pointed out that Rao had changed his mobile phone number nine times in the past one year.
Police have constituted a special investigation team to probe the attack, on the orders of DGP Thakur, Partrudu said. It has also sent a team to Hyderabad to interview Reddy.
Rao’s brother Subbaraju went to local TV stations to claim that Rao had been a “great fan” of Reddy and had paid for a six-feet cut-out of Reddy in Mummidivaram.
“I was surprised to hear that my brother attacked Jagan Reddy, because he is a great admirer of the YSR Congress chief. He has no health problems,” Subbaraju said.
Rao has been taken into custody by the police.