Mantralayam TDP candidate Thikka Reddy and Madhavaram ASI Venugopal suffered bullet injuries in their legs in a scuffle between the TDP and the YSRCP workers on Saturday.
The incident occurred when Mr. Thikka Reddy was hoisting the party flag in Khaggal village in Mantralayam mandal in the Kurnool district.
Irked by Mr. Thikka Reddy’s bid to hoist the flag, YSRC MLA Balanagi Reddy, his wife Jayamma and his son Pradeep reached the location with a few supporters and tried to tear down the flag leading to the scuffle in the presence of the police.
Locals say Mr. Balanagi Reddy, who won from the constituency in 2009 and 2014, had not allowed anyone to hoist the TDP flag in the village.
In the melee, the MLA’s gunmen fired six shots in the air. While witnesses said the bullets that hit both the ASI and Mr. Thikka Reddy were accidental, the latter and the TDP workers claimed the attacks were orchestrated by Mr. Balanagi Reddy.
The TDP candidate was taken to the Adoni General Hospital where he was given the first aid. He was then taken to Hyderabad in a special ambulance.
