Former Maoist Konapuri Shankar is battling for his life after he was shot at twice allegedly by his rival, Komirelly Pradeep Reddy, at Dasireddygudem village of Valigonda mandal, police said.
Shankar who sustained bullet wounds in his stomach has been shifted to Hyderabad and his condition is stated to be critical. Police suspect that Shankar was maintaining contacts with naxal renagade Nayeemuddin, while Pradeep Reddy had worked as a private gunman of Konapuri Ramulu, who was shot dead by Nayeemuddin's men last May. Both the accused and victim belong to Dasireddygudem, native village of Konapuri Ramulu.
After the killing of Konapuri Ramulu, the differences between Pradeep and Shanker widened, according to SI S. Manjunatha Reddy. They were summoned to the police station and were counselled twice in the last three months on the same issue when Shankar left the village and shifted to Hyderabad.
Mr. Manjunatha Reddy said that Shankar had come to the village a couple of days ago. Police collected information from eyewitnesses about Pradeep Reddy’s involvement in the shooting incident. According to eyewitnesses, there was another person also involved in the attack. However, police found only one empty round at the scene of the crime.
