Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader K Yerran Naidu sustained minor injuries when his vehicle was hit by a landmine blast triggered by the outlawed People's War near Singupuram village in Srikakulam district late on Sunday night.
"The incident occurred between Bairi and Singupuram villageĀ when Yerran Naidu was returning to Srikakulam from Tekkali," Srikakulam district Superintendent of Police Y Nagi Reddy said.
"Since a new bridge is under construction on this national highway, traffic was diverted to a small patch of kutcha road. As soon as the Qualis carrying Yerran Naidu entered the kutcha patch, the naxalites detonated a landmine just below the engine. The engine got damaged under the impact of the blast, but the rest of the vehicle was okay," he added.
Besides Yerran Naidu, his driver and two personal security officers sustained minor injuries. They were immediately taken to the government hospital at Srikakulam. Yerran Naidu was later sent home after treatment.
The officer said that Yerran Naidu, Minister for Prohibition and Excise Tammineni Seetharam and some other leaders were on the PW's hit-list. "But without any fear, they campaigned for the elections. On the last day for campaigning, this incident occurred and we suspect it to be the handiwork of an action team of the PW," he said.
Srikakulam district is relatively free from naxalite violence with no major offences reported in the last couple of years. "But it does not mean the PW is inactive. Since the polling operations are going on, TDP workers have been doing electioneering," the officer added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Home Minister T Devender Goud and others condemned the attack.