YSR Congress Party leader Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday filed a petition in the Hyderabad High Court, asking for an independent agency to investigate the attack on him at the Visakhapatnam airport on October 25. He had on Monday requested Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to order a central agency inquiry into the attack as he does not have faith in the Andhra Pradesh Police.
The petition may come up for hearing on Thursday, The Hindu reported, adding that Reddy has reiterated that an investigating agency that does not come under the state government or its police chief should look into the matter.
Reddy was stabbed in the left arm by an airport restaurant worker Janipalli Srinivasa Rao while waiting for his flight to Hyderabad after completing a padyatra in Vizianagaram district. Rao attacked the politician after making a selfie request. The YSR Congress Party and Andhra Pradesh’s ruling Telugu Desam Party have accused each other as well as the Centre of conspiracy in connection with the attack.
The Opposition leader’s petition in the court said he has lost trust in the state led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. He said the response of both Naidu and the state machinery to the attack on him was casual. This was done without a proper investigation, Reddy said. Naidu also addressed a press conference that very day claiming the attack was an attempt to defame the government, Reddy added.
He said in his writ petition that the state’s director general of police addressed a press conference barely an hour after the attack and claimed the assailant was a staunch supporter of Reddy and his party, and added that it was a publicity stunt, according to Deccan Chronicle. This was done without a proper investigation, he said. Naidu also addressed a press conference that very day claiming the attack was attempt to defame the government, he said. Naidu reportedly called it “Operation Garuda”, which he claims is the Centre’s attempt to unseat him as the chief minister.
Naidu made several other false and frivolous accusations and tried to trivialise his injuries, Reddy claimed in the petition.
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