Maoists behind Nityanand Reddy attack?

Hyderabad: In a sensational incident, an unidentified person opened fire from an AK-47 on a top executive of a pharma company in high-security KBR Park here Wednesday morning.

Aurobindo Pharma director and vice-chairman K. Nityananda Reddy escaped unhurt in the attack, police said.

The attacker fled the scene, leaving behind his gun and a bag.

Nityananda Reddy also opened fire from his pistol to counter the attack.

The incident took place around 7 a.m. when Nityananda Reddy returned to his Audi car after a morning walk in the park. The gunman, who was sitting in the car, apparently tried to kidnap Reddy.

Nityananda Reddy told reporters that he held the attacker's gun and in the scuffle he fired four rounds.

He shouted for help and meanwhile his brother Shivananda Reddy also reached there. They tried to catch hold of the assailant, who fired few more rounds, damaging the window panes of the car.

Faced with stiff resistance, the assailant fled the scene, leaving behind his weapon and a bag.

Senior police officials along with dog squads and ballistic experts from forensic laboratory rushed to the scene and launched investigations. They gathered several clues and also recovered bullets and empty shells.

The police have taken the incident seriously as an AK-47 was used by the assailant.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy, who visited the scene, said the rifle was missing since January this year from a commando of Greyhounds, the elite anti-Maoist force.

The police are probing the incident from all angles including the possibility of involvement of a Maoist or a former Maoist. The motive of the attacker is also still not clear.

The investigating officials were gathering information from Nityananda Reddy and his brother and also analyzing the footage from CCTV cameras installed at the nearby traffic signal and at the office of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to identify the attacker.

The incident sent panic among VIPs who throng the famous park for their daily morning walk. Politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, film actors and other celebrities frequent the park.

The residences of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh chief ministers, the headquarters of TDP and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and residence of several VIPs are located in Banjara Hills and Jubliee Hills surrounding the park.