Supporters of slain Andhra MLA, ex-lawmaker attack two police stations

Tension prevailed in Araku constituency in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday as relatives and supporters of a slain sitting TDP legislator and a former state lawmaker attacked two police stations.

Accusing the police of "failing" to protect the public representatives, the protestors ransacked Araku and Dumbriguda police stations and set afire the furniture and other articles lying there.

K. Sarveswara Rao, 45, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA from Araku (Reserved-Scheduled Tribe) and his party colleague and former MLA Siveri Soma, 52, were gunned down by Maoists near Thutangi village, about 125 km from the coastal city of Visakhapatnam, earlier in the day.

After the relatives and supporters of the slain leaders attacked Dumbriguda police station while blaming police for negligence, they set afire vehicles seized by the police in various cases and parked in the premises.

When police tried to disperse the protestors, they vent their ire on policemen, injuring one constable. Other policemen ran away to escape the mob fury.

The protestors again staged a protest at the police station with the bodies of Rao and Soma.

The mob also attacked the Araku police station to protest against the police alleged negligence that led to the killings.

--IANS

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