Hyderabad: Fresh political unrest has surfaced in Andhra Pradesh after the residence of senior YSR Congress Party leader Jogi Ramesh was allegedly attacked and partially set ablaze on Sunday. The incident came just a day after vandalism was reported at the home of another YSRCP leader, escalating concerns over law and order in the state.
According to local accounts, a large group of people, believed to be supporters of the Telugu Desam Party, gathered near Jogi Ramesh’s house in Ibrahimpatnam. The crowd allegedly damaged household property, broke furniture and set fire to parts of the residence before dispersing. Visuals showing smoke and charred sections of the building later circulated on social media platforms, drawing widespread attention.
Following the earlier incident, police strengthened security outside the residence of Ambati Rambabu, former minister and YSRCP’s district in-charge in Guntur. Officials said his house and office premises were targeted on Saturday night, with vehicles parked inside reportedly vandalised and some set on fire.
A police officer familiar with the situation said a large number of protesters had assembled near Rambabu’s residence, leading to clashes and destruction of property. “We have increased deployment in sensitive areas to prevent further incidents,” the official said.
The unrest also extended to party offices, with reports of damage to the YSRCP district office in Guntur. Stones were allegedly thrown, and party property was damaged during the protest, prompting authorities to step in and disperse the crowd.
The violence is believed to have been triggered by remarks attributed to Ambati Rambabu against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, which drew sharp reactions from TDP supporters. Protesters demanded a public apology, and Rambabu was later taken into custody in connection with the alleged remarks.
Reacting to the developments, former Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the state government of allowing a culture of intimidation. In a statement, he said attacks on opposition leaders weaken democratic values and warned that violence cannot be used to suppress political dissent.
