YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy attacked at Visakhapatnam airport, later says won't be dissuaded by 'cowardly acts'

Jagan Mohan Reddy, chief of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party, was attacked by an unknown assailant in the VIP lounge of Visakhapatnam airport on Thursday. He stabbed in the arm while on his way back to Hyderabad, and the culprit has been taken into police custody. Reddy was injured in his left arm in the assault. The assailant used a sharp object to attack him,  CNN-News18 reported. The YSR Congress Party chief is in stable condition. An investigation into the incident is underway. [caption id=“attachment_5446361” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Jagan Mohan Reddy stabbed at Visakhapatnam airport. ANI[/caption] The accused had reportedly gained proximity to Reddy at the airport on the pretext of engaging in conversation with him. He had also asked for a selfie before he attacked the YSR Congress president. Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu expressed shock at the attack on Reddy. He has “asked all agencies to investigate matter thoroughly”, including the Central Industrial Security Force. Prabhu has alsi asked the civil aviation secretary “to fix responsibility” over the incident. “I strongly condemn this cowardly attack. We will punish the guilty. Investigations are underway, started immediately,” he tweeted.

Shocked by attack on Mr Jagan Reddy,Asked all agencies to investigate matter thoroughly,including @CISFHQrs .Asked secretary civil aviation to fix responsibility.I strongly condemn this cowardly attack,we will punish the guilty.Investigations are underway, started immediately

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) October 25, 2018

After the attack, Reddy tweeted: “To everyone worried about my safety, I’d like to inform you that I am safe. God’s grace and love, the concern and blessings of the people of Andhra Pradesh will protect me. Such cowardly acts will not dissuade me but only strengthen my resolve to work for the people of my state.”

Reddy is undergoing treatment at Omega Hospital in Hyderabad. The police are likely to investigate whether the attack was premeditated. Authorities don’t have much information on the assailant yet, except that he is employed as a waiter at a local restaurant at the Visakhapatnam airport. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said it would have been the responsibility of the state government had the incident taken place outside airport. “But the airport comes under the central government. Then who is responsible?” he asked, questioning how the state could investigate the matter as the “injured person immediately left for Hyderabad”. “The attacker had written a letter against the state government. He had erected flexes as a fan (of Reddy). How should this be understood?” Naidu said. Naidu made the statement after Reddy’s supporters and fans held protests in Visakhapatnam following the attack at the airport.