YSRCP legislator booked in scribe’s murder case

YSR Congress party's Tuni legislator Dadisetti Ramalingeswara Rao (Raja) and five others were booked in the alleged murder of a reporter working for a vernacular daily in Tuni of East Godavari district.

The Peddapuram police booked a case against the ruling party MLA following a complaint from his family members alleging the role of the MLA in the brutal murder of Kata Satyanaraya (45) Thondangi (Tuni urban) reporter while he was returning home on Tuesday evening. The reporter was found murdered a few yards away from his house.

According to Peddapuram Deputy Superintendent of police Srinivasa Rao, Satyanarayana was found lying dead in a pool of blood on the Lakshmidevi lake bund in S Annavaram village of Tuni block. He was axed to death. The Press Council of India has taken up the case suo moto and served notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of police AP.

Meanwhile, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan strongly condemned the killing of Satyanarayana and the suspected conspiracy behind. In a statement here he said: “This uncivilized murder raises the question if we are living in Andhra Pradesh. It is an attack on journalism. It appears the physical attack was carried out with a motive to scare the media”.

Satyanarayana survived an attack a month ago and it was reported to the police. Still, the police failed to provide him protection”, he said demanding the government to bring the culprits to book. Rajahmundry Press Club condemned the ghastly murder and blamed it on the local police. The Press Club in a statement said Satyanarayana had reported to the police about an unsuccessful attack on his life earlier.