Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu retaliated against his predecessor YS Jaganmohan Reddy in the state assembly today, comparing him to Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar.  The attack came a day after a protest by Mr Reddy in Delhi — an exhibition of photos and videos of the violence in the state at the India International Centre. He has alleged that Mr Naidu and his party has been targeting the workers and leaders of his YSR Congress.

“Pablo Escobar is a Colombian drug lord, he is a narco terrorist. He turned politician and then started his cartel to sell drugs. He earned 30 billion dollars at that time, now it is worth 90 billion dollars. He was arrested in 1976 and in 1980 he became the number one richest drug lord in the world. One can become richer by selling drugs as well,” Mr Naidu said in the assembly today.

“What was the aim of former Chief Minister (YS Jaganmohan Reddy)? Tata, Reliance, Ambani have money and he aspired to become richer than them. Few have needs, few have greed and few have mania and these maniacs do these kinds of things,” he added.

Mr Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party said over the last five years, Andhra Pradesh has become the drug capital of the country and alleged the Chief Minister had a role to play in it. Mr Reddy already has multiple criminal cases against him, including an attempt to murder case that was filed earlier this month. The case was filed after a complaint by TDP MLA from Undi assembly constituency, K Raghurama Krishna Raju.

YSR Congress Party spokesperson Konda Rajin Gandhi said the TDP is under the impression that the “elections are not over”. The TDP, he added, is trying to divert attention from the ongoing violence in the state, which Mr Reddy has already flagged in Delhi. Several leaders of the Opposition, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, had attended the exhibition.

Six persons have been identified, and one arrested, after shocking videos – showing students being assaulted at Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Subbaraya and Narayana College – went viral online.

The students – juniors – were attacked by their seniors in the name of ‘ragging’.

The videos show six young men being thrashed, one after the other, by four others carrying lathis. The assault takes place inside what seems to a hostel room; each victim is brought in, ordered to lie face down on a mattress and then pummelled by his four attackers.

At least two of the victims seem to be seriously injured. They had reportedly been lured to the room on the pretext of NCC, or National Cadet Corps, training.

Terrible case of #ragging has come to light from #SSN College, #Narsaraopet #Palnadu #AndhraPradesh where some students were caught on camera flogging juniors at midnight reportedly in the name of NCC training; what kind of perversion, frustration are these youngsters displaying? pic.twitter.com/VUrfxOffqA

— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) July 25, 2024

Police say the incident took place in February but the videos have only now been circulated online; the victims had chosen not to file complaints due to fear of retaliation.

Krishna Reddy, Police Inspector (One Town Police Station) has urged others, at this college or any others, who may have been assaulted or otherwise abused, as ‘ragging’ to report the incident.

The students seen beating their juniors have since graduated.

The one arrested and the others face a case under the Prohibition of Ragging Act.

The horrific incident has taken a predictable political twist, with the opposition YSR Congress Party of former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy attacking the ruling Telugu Desam Party.

The YSRCP shared one of the videos on X (formerly Twitter). “This is the law and order situation in our state,” the party said, tagging Home Minister Anitha Vangalpudi.

The Home Minister hit back swiftly, pointing out the incident had taken place when the YSRCP was in power; the TDP formed the government in June, after winning the Assembly election).

ఫిబ్రవరి 2024 గత వైఎస్ఆర్సిపి ప్రభుత్వంలో జరిగిన పల్నాడు జిల్లా నరసరావుపేట లోని SSN కాలేజ్ లో జరిగిన ర్యాగింగ్ పై ఇప్పుడు రాష్ట్ర ముఖ్యమంత్రివర్యులు నారా చంద్రబాబు నాయుడు గారు ఆదేశాల మేరకు యాక్షన్ తీసుకోవడం వలన బయటకు వచ్చింది.Cr.No.91/2024 u/s 324 r/w 34 IPC, Sec 4(3) AP… https://t.co/oTnECHDbRj

— Anitha Vangalapudi (@Anitha_TDP) July 25, 2024

“It would be better if YSRCP refrained from spreading lies and blaming atrocities that happened under the YSRCP government on the current government,” she said, adding the accused would also face charges under the SC/ST Act.

“We are bringing derailed law-and-order (situation in the state) back to normal,” she also said, “YSRCP people often make false accusations… strict action will be taken against the guilty.”

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