In a suspected case of factional violence, eight people, including a Telugu Desam Party leader, were killed when their vehicle exploded after being hit by a lorry in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.
K Venkatappa Naidu, a TDP leader facing several criminal cases, his brother, two gunmen and four other associates died at Bodanuru village in the faction-ridden district when some bombs exploded soon after their vehicle collided against a lorry, the police said.
It was not clear how the explosion occurred. Police are looking into whether the bombs being carried in the vehicle exploded or there was any attack from outside.
Kurnool Superintendent of Police Madhusudan Reddy said investigation would be carried out from all angles.
While the Opposition TDP alleged that it was a pre-planned attack by Congress rivals, Home Minister K Jana Reddy said a thorough probe would be ordered and culprits, if any, would be brought to book.
Naidu, a notorious factional leader in the region, had escaped at least a dozen attempts on his life in the past.
He had a running feud with a local leader V Padma who is said to be a follower of Congress MP from Kurnool K Suryaprakash Reddy.