1 hour ago
4
ARTICLE AD BOX
The incident followed a familiar pattern of attacks on party activists and local leaders: YSRCP state coordinator Sajjala Rama Krishna Reddy.
Written by Sreenivas Janyala Hyderabad | Updated: January 15, 2026 04:48 PM IST
2 min read
M Salman was a resident of Pinneli village under the Gurazala Assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
The death of a YSRCP activist in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu district after he was allegedly assaulted by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) workers and leaders has put the area on edge, sparking a political row between the two parties amid Makar Sankranti festivities on Thursday.
Story continues below this ad
YSRCP leaders allege that M Salman, a resident of Pinneli village under the Gurazala Assembly constituency, was attacked by local TDP leaders after he went to meet his wife, and that he was targeted after the TDP came to power in June 2024.
According to the police report, Salman was grievously injured, slipped into a coma and, after battling for life in hospital for three days, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning.
Story continues below this ad
“As tensions rose and he felt threatened, Salman went away from the village. He came three days ago to meet his wife when he was attacked by TDP cadres and local leaders,” said former YSRCP MLA from Gurazala, Kasu Mahesh Reddy, adding: “Our cadres and local leaders face attacks and death threats on a daily basis. Often, these attacks happen in the presence of police, just like in Salman’s case.”
However, TDP spokesperson Deepak Reddy dismissed the incidents as fallout of personal rivalries.
Meanwhile, Inspector Ponnuru Bhaskar told The Indian Express that he and his team were busy overseeing security arrangements for the Sankranti festival and were not aware of the attack on Salman in Pinnelli village.
YSRCP state coordinator Sajjala Rama Krishna Reddy said the incident followed a familiar pattern of attacks on party activists and local leaders, accusing the ruling coalition of misusing power and the police system to target political opponents and harass them with “illegal cases”.
He also promised support to Salman’s family.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
English (US) ·