Jagan Mohan Reddy escapes attempt on life at Vizag airport's VIP lounge

Opposition YSR Congress Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy escaped an alleged attempt on his life at Vizag airport on Thursday afternoon.

In a shocking incident, a canteen employee attacked Jagan with a sharp object when the latter was in the airport's VIP lounge, waiting to board a flight to Hyderabad.

According to eyewitnesses, Jagan received a bleeding injury on his hand after Srinivas Rao, the accused, attacked him with a small knife-like metal object while reaching the leader under the pretext of taking a 'selfie'.

The party men who were with their leader at the time, said the attacker surged forward to slash the neck but ended up piercing the shoulder as Jagan quickly turned away.

After a quick first-aid to his injury, Jagan flew back to Hyderabad amid commotion among the party cadre in Andhra Pradesh.

Terming the incident as unfortunate, Andhra Pradesh home minister N Chinarajappa said the police would conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident. Police claimed the attacker was a fan of Jagan.

Jagan, son of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, reached the port city of Visakhapatnam after concluding his tour in the cyclone-hit areas of Salur in the neighboring Srikakulam district earlier in the day. Jagan took a brief break from his ongoing pad yatra to visit the villages hit by the recent cyclone in this north coastal district.

The police apprehended the attacker and seized the knife-like metal object, which is said to be similar to the ones being used in cock-fights locally.

YSR Congress leaders termed the incident as a part of a well-planned conspiracy to eliminate their leader. The party blamed the AP government for the security lapses and the alleged failure in providing adequate security to the leader of the opposition.

It has demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged attempt on Jagan's life.

The incident pointed to the serious security lapses at the airport as the police were clueless as to how the attacker was able to take this knife like object inside the airport. Soon after his arrival, Jagan was examined by a team of doctors at Hyderabad airport and was taken to a local hospital for treatment and further medical examinations.

BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said there was a strong suspicion of conspiracy behind the incident.