Monday, January 24 2005 17:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: The Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Paritala Ravi was gunned down by unidentified assailants at Anantapur town in Andhra Pradesh today (Jan 24, 2005), police sources said in Hyderabad.

Ravi, who represented Penugonda in the faction-ridden Anantapur district, was coming out of TDP office after attending a meeting when he was attacked, the sources said, adding that the MLA died on the spot.

Armed assailants stormed the TDP office in the afternoon and fired at Ravi when he was moving towards his vehicle after attending a meeting of the party's district unit.

Ravi, who had sought additional police protection fearing a threat to his life, collapsed after being shot from close range, police sources said.

Tension prevailed in the town after the shoot-out with the enraged Opposition workers hitting the streets to protest against the murder.

As the news about the attack spread, the TDP supremo and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu went into a huddle with his party colleagues in Hyderabad and expressed shock over the attack.

Ever since Congress took over the reins of the state, the faction-ridden Anantapur district has been witnessing a series of political attacks.