Jagan Reddy’s Uncle Vivekananda Found Dead, Party Seeks CBI Probe

Former Minister Vivekananda Reddy was found dead at his residence in Andhra Pradesh on Friday, 15 March.

YS Vivekananda Reddy.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@YSJagan4CM)

Police investigating the murder of former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy on Sunday, 17 March, questioned his three cousins and recorded their statements in Pulivendula to unravel the mystery in the case.

Police questioned Reddy's brothers Pratap Reddy, Bhaskar Reddy and Manohar Reddy as well as the slain leader’s daughter, son-in-law and brother-in-law.

Kadapa district Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma told reporters that 20 witnesses have so far been examined in the case and material evidence has been sent to forensic lab for examination.

Reaffirming his demand for a CBI investigation into the death of his uncle, YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday addressed the media to say:

My uncle Vivekananda Reddy who was a four-time MP and MLA was brutally killed in his own house when he was alone. This incident took place between 11 pm and noon. How can someone walk into his house and kill him brutally and showcase the entire incident as a natural death?

Jagan Mohan Reddy, quoted by ANI

Reddy also questioned why TDP president Naidu was so afraid of an investigation.

I wonder why Naidu was afraid of a CBI investigation into the murder unless. Does this indicate that he and his ministers are involved in it? After all, murder politics were not new to the TDP. My grandfather Raja Reddy and uncle Vivekananda Reddy were murdered when the TDP was ruling in the State.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, quoted by ANI

Vivekananda Reddy Found Dead; Family Allege Foul Play

Former minister and and YSR Congress Party President Jagan Reddy’s uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy was found dead at his residence in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh on Friday, 15 March.

While his family members of the 68-year-old leader alleged that the death was not natural, YSR Congress Party on asked for a CBI probe into his death.

Jagan Mohan Reddy and other senior leaders of the party met Governor Sri ESL Narasimhan at Rajbhavan on Saturday, 16 March, at 4 pm to apprise him of what they allege are "the murder politics of TDP and the killing of former MP YS Vivekananda Reddy." The party has also given a call to take out peace rallies across the state.

“Clearing off evidence is definitely a crime. Now, they (YSRCP) are demanding a CBI probe. If the case is given to the CBI, the Centre will save them. If state police investigates, criminals will be caught,” ANI reported.

“I am not saying they are the culprits. At the crime scene, forensic evidence were destroyed, suspicions are arising on them,” he also said.

He was alone at his residence in Pulivendula on Thursday night.

Vivekananda Reddy's personal assistant MV Krishna Reddy lodged a complaint with Pulivendula police expressing doubts over the nature of the death as blood clots were found in the bedroom and the bathroom.

Vivekananda was the younger brother of former Andhra Pradesh CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

His nephew and former MP YS Avinash Reddy also alleged that it was not a natural death and sought a thorough investigation.

“There were two injuries on his head, one each on the front and the back. So, a thorough probe is required to establish the cause of the death. There could possibly be a conspiracy angle as well that needs to be probed”

YS Avinash Reddy, former MP said in Pulivendula.

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

A case under section 174 of CrPC (unnatural death) was registered and the body moved to the Pulivendula government hospital for post-mortem, a local police inspector said.

Known as a down-to-earth and genial person, Vivekananda was elected as MLA in 1989 and 1994 from his hometown Pulivendula in Kadapa district.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Kadapa constituency in 1999 and 2004 and to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council in 2009.

He had served as the agriculture minister under N Kiran Kumar Reddy in the then united Andhra Pradesh.

He had a difference in opinions with his nephew, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, after the latter quit the Congress and established the YSR Congress, and chose to stay back in the parent party.

Vivekananda even lost the by-election to his sister-in-law, Vijayamma, in 2011.

Subsequently, the family differences were sorted out and Vivekananda Reddy joined the YSRC.

Two days ago, he was seen at the Lotus Pond residence of Jagan in Hyderabad and on Thursday, Viveka, as he was known by, campaigned for the YSRC in Pulivendula constituency.

“There was no response when I went to his house this morning. I called his wife in Hyderabad over phone and she asked me not to disturb him. Later, the cook and other household staff reached the house but they too did not get any response. I then went in through a side door and found Vivekananda’s body in the bathroom, with blood clots in the bedroom and the bathroom.”

M V Krishna Reddy, Vivekananda Reddy’s personal assistant

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)