Chittoor: The Mayor of Chittoor was on Tuesday stabbed to death and her husband seriously injured by unidentified assailants, in an attack suspected to be a fallout of a family dispute, police said.
The incident occurred at Chittoor Municipal Corporation office when five-six persons with their faces covered barged into Mayor Katari Anuradha's chamber and stabbed her, resulting in her death, DIG (Anantapur Range) K Satyanarayana told PTI.
The Mayor, aged around 50, belonged to the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Before escaping from the spot, the assailants went into an adjoining room where Anuradha's husband K Mohan, also senior TDP leader, was sitting and apparently shot at him before stabbing him, Andhra Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) R P Thakur said.
Asked specifically if the mayor was shot dead, Thakur said she was stabbed to death.
Mohan was taken to the Christian Medical College Hospital at Vellore for treatment where his condition was reported to be serious, Satyanarayana said.
"As per preliminary information, the attack was carried out following a family dispute. An investigation has been launched and the truth will be revealed soon. The attackers belong to Karnataka and a hunt has been launched to nab them. We will catch them very soon," he said.
A pistol and a knife have been recovered from the spot, the DIG added.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu
expressed grief over the incident and said it is a very heinous act.
"...The way the assailants killed, that too a woman, is inhuman and highly condemnable. The investigation is underway. All culprits will be arrested and punished," Naidu said.
This incident shows the mentality of the people who are hardcore criminals, the CM said.
He said law and order is top priority for his government and such criminal activities will not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, Rajahmundry Mayor Pantham Rajani Sesha Sai also expressed profound grief over the murder of Chittoor mayor Katari Anuradha.
In a condolence message, Sai said, "I am deeply shocked with the death of Anuradha, who was not only a mayor but a good friend. We met recently in Tirupati during the party meeting and she was cooperating with all."
Sai was planning to visit Chittoor to pay her last respects, but the visit was cancelled following heavy rains.
