In Vinukonda of Palnadu district, tension escalated after a brutal incident on Wednesday night where a member of the YSRC party's youth wing, Shiekh Rasheed (27), was fatally attacked. According to local police, Rasheed was assaulted around 8:30 pm at the crowded Mandlamudi Bus Stand Center by Sheikh Jilani, who wielded a machete, severing both of Rasheed's hands and inflicting a fatal throat wound. The horrific attack was captured on video.
Police swiftly responded to the scene, transporting Rasheed to the hospital where he tragically succumbed to his injuries. Condemning the act, the YSRCP denounced the incident as a ruthless assault by Jilani, described as a former TDP member turned assailant.
Palnadu district Superintendent of Police, Kanchi Srinivasa Rao, dismissed political motives behind the crime, attributing it to personal rivalry between Rasheed and Jilani. He assured a thorough investigation was underway, with authorities launching a manhunt for Jilani. In response to potential unrest, Section 144 was imposed to maintain public order.
Reacting to the tragedy, YSRC party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock and condemned the murder, questioning the state's law and order under the new government. He criticized the TDP for what he deemed as orchestrated violence against YSRC members and called for central government intervention to address escalating violence and deteriorating security in Andhra Pradesh.
Jagan assured party members of support and extended condolences to Rasheed's family, vowing to seek justice for the slain activist.