I am safe, tweets YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy after being stabbed at airport; Centre orders probe

HYDERABAD: YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday assured his supporters that he was safe and thanked them for their support and good wishes shortly after he was stabbed by a man with a sharp-edged object at the Visakhapatnam airport.

''To everyone worried about my safety - I’d like to inform you that I am safe. God's grace and the love, concern and blessings of the people of Andhra Pradesh will protect me. Such cowardice acts will not dissuade me but only strengthen my resolve to work for the people of my state!,'' YSR chief said in a tweet.

To everyone worried about my safety - I’d like to inform you that I am safe. God's grace and the love, concern & blessings of the people of Andhra Pradesh will protect me. Such cowardice acts will not dissuade me but only strengthen my resolve to work for the people of my state! — YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (@ysjagan) October 25, 2018

He is now travelling back to Hyderabad, according to reports.

Meanwhilke, cutting across party lines, top politcal leaders on Thursday strongly  condemned the attack on YSR Congress chief at the Visakhapatnam airport which also prompted the Civil Aviation Minister, Suresh Prabhu, ordering a probe into the incident.

Jagan Mohan Reddy was stabbed by man carrying a sharp-edged object inside the Visakhapatnam Airport in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday afternoon. 

He suffered minor injuries on the left arm. The incident happened while Reddy was on his way to Hyderabad. The assailant, Srinu, works as a waiter at the airport canteen. 

He came up to Reddy on the pretext of taking a selfie and launched an attack, reported news agency PTI.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu condemned the attack on the YSR Congress chief and direcetd all agencies concerned to probe the matter thoroughly.

Prabhu termed the attack "cowardly"and said the guilty would be punished.

"Shocked by attack on Mr Jagan Reddy, Asked all agencies to investigate matter thoroughly,including @CISFHQrs. Asked secretary civil aviation to fix responsibility," the Minister tweeted.

"I strongly condemn this cowardly attack, we will punish the guilty. Investigations are underway, started immediately," he further said in the tweet.

Shocked by attack on Mr Jagan Reddy,Asked all agencies to investigate matter thoroughly,including @CISFHQrs .Asked secretary civil aviation to fix responsibility.I strongly condemn this cowardly attack,we will punish the guilty.Investigations are underway, started immediately

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) October 25, 2018

Condemning the attack, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen Party (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted, "I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on @ysjagan this is a major security lapse which must be probed @sureshpprabhu how can a person bring a dagger inside the airport,and in a lounge, politicians are vulnerable with this NEW phenomenon of selfies"

The assailant  has been taken into police custody. 

The 45-year-old leader is the son of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

He founded the YSR Congress Party in March 2011 almost four months after quitting the Congress. 

Jagan is currently the Leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly after his party emerged as the second largest in the state elections in May 2014. 

Jagan had won from Kadapa constituency in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections as a member of the Congress.