SIT finds no conspiracy in Jagan attack

VISAKHAPATNAM: The rooster knife attack on Leader of the Opposition and YSRC party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the VIP lounge of Visakhapatnam airport on October 25 last year was a pre-planned one, police said on Wednesday.  

Speaking to the media at the police conference hall here on Wednesday afternoon, Visakhapatnam City Police Commissioner Mahesh Chandra Laddha said, “Janepalli Srinivasa Rao, the prime accused in the Jagan attack case, executed his own plan with an intention to create sensation and get wide publicity for himself. He attacked Jagan after proper planning.”

Refuting allegations of conspiracy in the murder attempt, Laddha clarified that it was planned by Srinivasa Rao himself and that no involvement of others was found during the investigation. 

“According to the findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Srinivasa Rao had planned everything on his own. In fact, the accused earlier tried to execute his plan on October 18 when Jagan was supposed to go to Hyderabad. However, in view of Dasara festival, Jagan preponed his journey by a day. So, Rao again planned the attack on  October 25 and he succeeded in his second attempt,” he explained.  

With the help of his Karnataka friend Venkatapathi, Srinivasa got a job in Fusion Foods Restaurant at the airport as assistant cook in January 2018. He purchased two rooster knives and kept the smaller one in his wallet.

With a clear plan, he sharpened the knife two times and sterilised it in the early hours of the day of the attack. When asked by his friends, Srinivasa told them that he is going to use it for cutting fruits and vegetables. He left home for work at 4.55 am on the day of the attack.  

“Around 8 am, Srinivasa informed his friends Hemalatha and Shaik Ammaji through phone that they are going to see him on TV in a few hours. He told Ammaji several times that she will see a sensational issue soon and that she has to take prior appointment for meeting him, just like meeting MPs and MLAs. Later, he entered the VIP lounge of the airport and talked to the YSRC chief. When Jagan was talking to YSRCP leader Karanam Dharma, Srinivasa attacked the YSRC chief with the rooster knife,” Laddha explained.
Responding to a query, the City Police Commissioner said the accused had planned to attack Jagan since December 2017 and purchased two rooster knifes from Ravulapalem in East Godavari district in January 2018.

To another query, the CP explained that police revealed the details of the attacker to the media a few hours after the incident on October 25 to avoid law and order issues in the State. He opined that there is no need of NIA probe into the attack as it is in no way linked to national security. More over, Jagan didn’t file any complaint so far, he said.

“The accused had no intention to kill Jagan. That’s why, he didn’t apply poison on the knife. Moreover, he sterilised it. The Forensic reports also confirmed this,” he said.“The Hyderabad High court had ordered that charge-sheet should not be filed in the case. So we are waiting for further orders from the court on the issue,” he said.  SIT chief and ACP BVS Nageswara Rao, DCP (West) Adnan Nayeem Asmi, ACP L Arjuna and other police officials were present.

‘He did it for publicity’

J Srinivasa Rao (in picture) planned everything on his own
Earlier, he decided to execute his plan on October 18, but in vain as Jagan preponed his Hyderabad visit
A week later, he succeeded in his second attempt  
In January 2018, Srinivasa got a job in Fusion Foods Restaurant
He sharpened knife two times and sterilised it in the early hours of the day of the attack (Oct 25)
Around 8 am, Srinivas informed his friends that they are going to see him on TV in a few hours
When Jagan was talking to YSRCP leader Karanam Dharma, Srinivasa attacked the
YSRC chief with the rooster knife