Terror again: Naxals target Andhra ex-CM

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Janardhana Reddy and his wife N Rajyalakshmi, the education minister of the state, escaped unhurt...

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Janardhana Reddy and his wife N Rajyalakshmi, the education minister of the state, escaped unhurt while three Congress workers were killed in a Maoist attack in Nellore district today.

This is the second time Maoists have attacked Reddy, who was chief minister when a ban was first imposed on the Maoists in May 1992. He has been on their hitlist since and last escaped an attack in 2003.

Police said the Maoists triggered a landmine blast about 6:30 am near a culvert, targeting the convoy of Reddy. The bullet-proof Mercedes Benz in which the Reddy couple was was travelling suffered minor damages in the attack, which took place near Chitwedu village.

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Three persons died on the spot in the blast, which police said was triggered using a remote device. Such was the impact of the blast that one of the cars in the convoy was blown to pieces, bodies were flung in the air, and strewn around the area. The blast left a deep crater.

The dead have been identified as Nagarjuna Reddy, Beshayya and Babu. At least five people were wounded.

Reddy, who represents Visakapatnam constituency in the Lok Sabha, and his wife were proceeding to the temple town of Tirupati to participate in the convocation ceremony of Sri Venkateshwara University when the attack took place. The target was clearly the convoy of 21 vehicles, police said.

Chief Minister Y S Rajsekhara Reddy, who was camping in his native district of Kadapa, spoke to the Reddy couple over phone and rushed to the state capital to review the law and order situation in the wake of the attack.

Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari has also condemned the attack.

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A red alert has been sounded and combing operations intensified.