Copyright thehindu
Veteran CPI (M) leader Samineni Rama Rao was brutally murdered by three unidentified assailants in his native Patharlapadu village in Chinthakani mandal of Khammam district early on Friday morning. The gruesome murder of 75-year-old Rama Rao sent shockwaves among the CPI (M) party cadre and leaders across the State. This has prompted the police to launch a detailed investigation into the chilling murder to trace the assailants and investigate the possible motive behind the horrific crime. Sources said that three assailants attacked Rama Rao with knives while he was about to go for morning walk at his residence and slit his throat, killing him on the spot. Rama Rao was the State general secretary of the CPI (M)-affiliated Rythu Sangham in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh. He served as the party State committee member and sarpanch of Patharlapadu village in the past. Khammam Police Commissioner Sunil Dutt inspected the crime scene. A clues team and dog squad were pressed into service to trace the assailants. In a statement, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka expressed shock and profound grief over the murder of Rama Rao. The culprits will be traced, brought to justice and punished as per law, he said. He directed the police officials concerned to deploy forensic and clues teams, use advanced technology to immediately crack the murder case and arrest the culprits. He conveyed his condolences to the members of the bereaved family of Rama Rao and assured them of his support. A host of CPI (M) leaders and party cadre paid their last respects to the slain leader at Patharlapadu village on Friday evening. CPI (M) State secretariat member Pothineni Sudarshan Rao said comrade Rama Rao served the cause of farmers, labourers and toiling masses with unwavering commitment. He alleged that Rama Rao’s murder was a “pre-planned one” and “some ruling Congress party cadre” were behind it. “We will strive to fulfil the ideals of the slain comrade,” Mr Rao said. Meanwhile, the district Congress leaders denied these allegations, terming them as “baseless”. The Congress leaders asserted that non-violence is one of the core-values of the Congress party.
