Naxals gun down AP ministers husband

In a spurt in extremist violence in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the coming polls, naxalites of the banned People's War Group (PWG) killed two TDP functionaries including the husband of tribal welfare minister M Manikumari.

About three to four naxals went to the house of M Venkat Raju, husband of Manikumari, in Paderu village in Visakhapatam district yesterday morning and pumped bullets from close range before fleeing from the scene, police said quoting the reports reaching here.

Raju died on the spot, police said. On hearing the news, Manikumari, who was in the city, left for Visakhapatnam by a chopper, official sources said here.

Condemning the incident, chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said: "It is a macabre act of extremists and everybody should condemn it." Later, a meeting chaired by Naidu, held at his party office, passed a resolution condemning the killing of Raju and violence of the naxalites.

In another incident at Nalgonda district, Srihari, a mandal level TDP activist, was shot dead by three members of a PWG action team at Pochampalli this afternoon, police said. Meanwhile, the Naxals blasted the Chintapalli market yard causing extensive damage to the building last night, police added.

Advani asks naxals to shun violence

Criss-crossing the naxal-stronghold areas in Andhra Pradesh as part of his 'Bharat Uday' yatra amidst tight security, deputy prime minister L K Advani today called upon the extremists to give up violence and join the social mainstream.

"India commands respect in the comity of nations because of its strong commitment to democratic values. There is no place for violence in democracy," he told a series of roadside meetings in this hotbed of extremist activity.