A photographer of a Telugu daily was roughed up in full public view at the ‘Siddham’ public meeting addressed by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on February 18 (Sunday).
Sri Krishna, who is working for a leading Telugu daily, was clicking pictures at the meeting when a group, allegedly led by the YSRCP activists, chased and manhandled him.
Even as the other journalists covering the programme pleaded with the attackers to spare Mr. Sri Krishna, he was repeatedly punched in his face and torso. When he ducked to protect himself, the blows landed on his back.
Condemning the incident, TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh, in a post on social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), termed it a ‘faction attack’ by the Chief Minister. He sought to know if taking photographs at a public meeting was prohibited in Andhra Pradesh.
“Being the owner of a newspaper and a TV channel, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is exposing his own staff to similar risk,” Mr. Lokesh said.
Meanwhile, BJP vice-president Vishnuvardhan Reddy condemned the attack on a professional photographer who was just discharging his duty.
After the public meeting, a media delegation reached lodged a police complaint.
