YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy stabbed by unidentified assailant at Visakhapatnam Airport

The 45-year-old leader founded the YSR Congress Party in March 2011.

ANI photo

Visakhapatnam: YSR Congress Party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy was stabbed by man with a sharp-edged object inside the Visakhapatnam Airport in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday afternoon. He suffered minor injuries on the left arm.

He was on his way to Hyderabad.

The assailant, Srinu, worked 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.

The waiter has now been taken into custody. 

Andhra Pradesh: YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy stabbed on his arm by unidentified assailant at Visakhapatnam Airport today. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/lUmmMiaQCi

— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2018

Reddy was given first aid immediately after which he left for Hyderabad.

"The attacker has been identified as Srinu who is working as a waiter at the airport lounge. He is from East Godavari district. The attacker has been taken into custody," said the police.

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"

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

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) October 25, 2018

Union Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu also expressed shock over the incident.

"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," he tweeted.

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

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.