Two TDP Leaders, Including Araku MLA, Gunned Down By Maoists In Andhra Pradesh 

Maoists today gunned down two leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), including Araku Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) K Sarveswara Rao, in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam district, IANS has reported.

Rao had won as a Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party candidate in 2014 and later defected to the TDP.

The left-wing terrorists attacked the MLA when he, along with TDP leader and former MLA S Soma, was returning after attending a programme in his constituency. Soma was also gunned down by the left-wing terrorists.

The police said that the incident occurred near Thutangi village, about 125 km from the coastal city of Visakhapatnam.

"A group of Maoists came along with the villagers and blocked the MLA's car. As the personal security officers of the legislator and the ex-legislator got down, they snatched the AK-47 rifles from them and shot Sarveswara Rao and Soma dead," said Visakhapatnam Range Deputy Inspector General of Police said.

The maoists had announced that their plan to celebrate the 14th Maoist Foundation Day this week in the rural areas of the state.