Andhra Pradesh: Naxals kill MLA, ex-MLA in daring attack

VISAKHAPATNAM: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Kidari Sarvewara Rao of Araku constituency and former MLA Siveri Soma were gunned by the Maoists at Liviriputtu in Dumbriguda mandal on Sunday afternoon. Sarveswara Rao is survived by wife and two sons.The incident took place during the ultras' weekly celebrations of CPI Maoists Formation Day. Maoists gave a call to celebrate the event for a week till September 27.According to sources, Kidari Sarveswara Rao , who was elected as Araku MLA on the ticket of YSRCP party, had later joined the TDP. He along with another former MLA Soma of same constituency and other henchmen were going to Dumbriguda mandal when the incident took place.Around 60 Maoists, including huge number of women cadres, were involved in the attack. The Visakha range DIG Srikanth told TOI that they have some inputs of the incident but are verifying the facts. Rural SP Rahul Dev Sharma said that they have already issued notices to all the politicians on the Naxals hit-list to inform the administration prior to their visits to villages. But MLA Kidari and former MLA Soma’s visit to Dumbriguda mandal was not informed to the police, he said.Kidari Sarveswara Rao, the former MLC of Congress, has been facing severe allegations of illegal mining activity in the agency area. He was allegedly warned by the Maoists earlier for supporting the Bauxite mining.According to sources, Maoists had conducted reccee and observing the movements of the MLA for the past few days.