Monday, January 24 2005 18:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: The Opposition TDP (Telugu Desam Party) legislator Paritala Ravi and another party activist were today (Jan 24, 2005) gunned down by unidentified assailants near TDP office at Anantapur town in Andhra Pradesh.

The dare-devil attack took place in full public view when Ravi, who represented Penugonda in the faction-ridden Anantapur district, was coming out of the party office after attending a general body meeting.

Ravi, who had recently sought additional police protection fearing threat to his life, died on the spot as assailants fired seven rounds at him from close range, police sources said Hyderabad.

Though the Opposition leader had ten gunmen protecting him, the assailants apparently took advantage of the relaxed atmosphere at the party office and made a swift assault.

The legislator collapsed and died on the spot.

Tension gripped the town after the shoot-out with the enraged Opposition workers attacking buses and shops and holding up the traffic.

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 targeting the Opposition cadre.

The TDP had recently launched an agitation protesting against what it called 'targetted and vindictive killings' and demanding resignation of the district minister J C Diwakar Reddy.

The Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy condemned the attack and promised a thorough inquiry into the incident. Reddy, who is on a tour in Visakhapatnam district, directed the Director General of Police Swaranjit Sen to take all possible measures to maintain law and order.

"This is a very unfortunate incident and should be condemned by all democracy-loving people. We will order a thorough probe and punish the guilty," the Chief Minister said.

As the news spread like wildfire, the TDP activists went berserk across the State, attacking buses, shops and organising rasta roko.

The reports of TDP workers torching buses and shops poured in from Anantapur, Prakasam, Warangal, Karimnagar, Mahaboobnagar, Chittoor and other districts.

The DGP said six platoons of armed policemen had been rushed to Anantapur district to bring the situation under control.

Accusing Congress Government of resorting to 'vindictive killings and making a mockery of democracy', the TDP president Chandrababu Naidu said his party would 'fight it out'.

"We ran from pillar to post seeking justice when several of our party colleagues were done to death in Anantapur district in recent times. We had approached the President, the Governor, the Central Government and NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) but in vain. There is no meaning to democracy if we cannot stop targeted killings," Naidu said.