In a shocking turn of events on Tuesday morning, Jaganmohan Reddy, a journalist associated with ABN Andhra Jyothy, was brutally murdered in V Kota town of Chittoor, the home district of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The incident has caused widespread outrage among journalist bodies and civil society, with several associations condemning the attack and demanding swift and stringent action against those responsible.
According to preliminary reports, unidentified assailants chased Reddy on motorcycles before attacking him with sharp weapons, leaving him no chance of escape. The 45-year-old journalist was found lying in a pool of blood with a torn shirt near his residence.
The Superintendent of Police (Chittoor), Tishar Dudi, confirmed the murder and stated that the incident involved bike-borne assailants. He further added that six special teams have been constituted to trace and apprehend the accused, believed to be around 10 in number. District and intelligence units have also been pressed into service to assist with the investigation.
Senior police officials visited the crime scene, and forensic teams are collecting evidence. Authorities have assured that all efforts are being made to identify and arrest the perpetrators at the earliest. Preliminary investigations suggest that personal enmity could be a possible motive for the attack; however, other motives are not being ruled out.
This unfortunate incident has once again brought into focus the safety of journalists in Andhra Pradesh. The journalist community and civil society have expressed deep concern over this incident and urged the authorities to ensure the safety of journalists and take strict action against those responsible for such heinous crimes.
