Manjula Subba Rao (45), a TDP leader and granite trader and transporter of Tadipatri in Anantapur district, was hacked to death with a pickaxe while he was having tea near the Belum Caves in Kolimigundla mandal in Kurnool district on Tuesday.
Eyewitnesses, who took a video of the entire sequence of the murder, told the police that 12 persons known to the victim had come to the tea stall and greeted him initially. “Seconds later, they took out a pickaxe and hacked him to death. After Mr. Subba Rao fell on the ground, they smashed his head with pieces of granite stone,” they alleged.
Mr. Subba Rao, who was a known associate of former Banaganapalli MLA B.C. Janardhan Reddy and former Anantapur MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy, was allegedly contemplating switching over to the YSRCP in view of the forthcoming panchayat (local body) elections.
Mr. Subba Rao had wished to contest from his native village Chintalayapalle of Kolimigundla mandal, it was said.
“The deceased was returning from the village after talking to some people in the village. The accused seem to have come pre-planned. They fled the scene after committing the crime,” the police said. The police shifted the body to Tadipatri for a post mortem examination.
The last rites would be performed on Wednesday. Former Minister N. Lokesh is likely to attend.
TDP leader and former Minister K. Srinivasulu told The Hindu that it would be difficult for the former Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, to attend the funeral.
