A political slugfest has erupted in Andhra Pradesh over the death of a 70-year-old man after he was run over by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s car during the latter’s tour to Rentapala village of Palnadu district on June 18 to call on the family of a party leader who died by suicide last year. The state home minister on Monday alleged that the party workers dragged away the body after the accident and threw “him in the bushes in an inhuman manner”. The Guntur district police on Sunday registered a case against Jagan, his driver Ramana Reddy, personal assistant K Nageshwar Reddy and two YSRCP leaders, on the basis of visuals showing Cheeli Singaiah being run over by Jagan’s car at Etukuru bypass road under Nallapadu police station limits. (ANI)

The Guntur district police on Sunday registered a case against Jagan, his driver Ramana Reddy, personal assistant K Nageshwar Reddy and two YSRCP leaders, on the basis of visuals showing Cheeli Singaiah being run over by Jagan’s car at Etukuru bypass road under Nallapadu police station limits.

Based on the complaint filed by the victim’s wife Cheeli Lurdhu Mary, the police initially booked a case under Section 106(1) of Bharatiya Nyana Samhita (causing death by negligence), but after analysing various video footages, CCTV footages, drone visuals and circumstantial witnesses about the incident, the sections were altered to BNS sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 49 (abetment of crime).

A senior official privy to the investigation, on condition of anonymity, said Jagan’s driver Ramana Reddy was taken into custody on Monday for questioning.

“The police have also questioned Jagan’s security personnel, including chief security officer, to find out what exactly happened on that day,” he said.

State home minister Vangalapudi Anitha told reporters on Monday that the state government had provided Z+ security cover to Jagan Mohan Reddy during his Palnadu tour but gave him permission only for four cars in total from Tadepalli to Sattenapalli.

“But Jagan completely violated the restrictions and went ahead with a huge road show with over 100 cars in the convoy,” she said.

She said as per police approval, only 100 people were permitted to gather, but the YSRCP mobilised thousands of people again in violation of the police approval. “When Singaiah came under the wheels of his car, the party workers dragged him away and threw him in the bushes in an inhuman manner,” she alleged.

She said the police, who had received information of the accident, rushed there and shifted Singaiah to the hospital, where he was declared dead. “The video evidence also clearly indicates that several people were asking the driver and passengers to stop the vehicle, which was disregarded. It clearly shows lack of sensitivity after the tragic accident occurred,” she said.

The YSRCP chief alleged that the matter was the result of vindictive politics of the state government led by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu with regard to the death of Singaiah during his visit to Rentapala village.

In a statement posted on X, Jagan alleged that the police imposed deliberate restrictions during his tour to Rentapala and questioned why he was restricted from visiting his own party worker or expressing solidarity with farmers and citizens.

“This political vendetta now threatens not just democracy but basic decency,” he said.

Jagan said arranging Z+ security for a former chief minister was not a favour but a protocol-based right, just as it was applied to Chandrababu Naidu in the past.

He claimed that he followed all the rules and gave prior information to the authorities about his visit, yet the state government failed to provide the necessary security arrangements.

He questioned why there were no pilot vehicles or rope parties deployed during his visit, which are part of the standard Z+ security protocol.

“If the security arrangements were in place, how could anyone have come under the vehicle?” he asked.

Jagan also said though the government did not provide him a bulletproof vehicle, which is mandatory under protocol, he arranged for one at his own expense.

The former chief minister added that he had used a government-provided driver and hence, “all the responsibility for the convoy’s safety lies with the government,” he said.

He referred to the SP’s initial statement on the incident, asking why the narrative was later changed and politicised, and accused the ruling coalition of using this tragic incident as a distraction from their governance failures.

The YSRCP supremo claimed that after learning about the unfortunate death of his party worker Singaiah, he immediately instructed his party leaders to provide help and announced ₹10 lakh compensation to the septuagenarian Singaiah’s family.