Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy has asked police to take tough action against those responsible for the killing of a 22-year-old man, who is claimed to be a BJP activist, in Mahabubnagar district following the rural local body polls in Telangana.
"There are many activists who have sacrificed themselves for this ideology. We have seen in Mahabubnagar, a BJP activist, Prem Kumar, was murdered because he worked for BJP's victory in MPTC (rural local body) elections," he said.
Such attacks were still taking place at Nagar Kurnool, Siddipet and other places in the state, he alleged late Friday night, addressing a meeting organised here by the BJP to congratulate him on his assumption of office.
"As BJP (leader) and Union Minister I severely condemn the murder of Prem Kumar in Mahabubnagar. I am also ordering police officers to definitely take tough action against the individuals who perpetrated these murders and attacks.
I am urging the police officers," he said.
Reddy arrived here Friday evening from Delhi, on his first visit to Hyderabad after assuming charge of his office and reached the BJP office in a rally late in the night.
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Observing that BJP always stands by its workers whenever injustice takes place towards them, Reddy said the Modi government would stand by them.
The TRS government need to understand that BJP activists would not keep quiet if they face suppression, he said.
On the occasion, he thanked BJP leaders and workers for their support.
He paid tributes to late BJP veterans from undivided Andhra Pradesh, including V Rama Rao, Bangaru Lakshman, Ale Narendra and Baddam Bal Reddy, for their guidance when he was an ordinary party worker.
Reddy garlanded a statue of independent India's first Home Minister Sardar Patel here Saturday.
The NDA government is inspired by the ideals of Patel, he said.
Six people, including the son of a losing TRS candidate, were Thursday arrested in connection with the killing.
Prem Kumar was fatally attacked at Dokur village after a quarrel with the son of a losing TRS candidate and others over him joining the celebrations by supporters of the victorious BJP rival Tuesday night, hours after the results of the poll were declared, police had said.
A case was registered and during course of investigation, police arrested P Srikanth Reddy, son of a TRS candidate who lost MPTC poll to a BJP candidate, along with five others, an investigating official said.
State minister S Niranjan Reddy has said the incident was totally unfortunate and it should not have happened even as he indicated there was no political angle to it.
"The incident is 100 per cent unfortunate. It should not have happened. BJP and TRS are not connected or related to it," he had said, condemning the incident.