YS Vivekananda Reddy had sustained severe injuries in his head, the police said.
YS Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and a former minister in the state government, was found murdered at his home in Pulivendula, Kadapa district on Friday. He had sustained severe injuries on his head, the police said. A murder case has been lodged.
"There were multiple injuries on his head, chest and hand, Kadapa district Superintendent of Police Rahul Dev Sharma said. "All indications is that it is a murder. We have got fingerprints," he said.
Huge clots of blood were found in the bedroom and bathroom where his body was discovered in the morning by his personal secretary MV Krishna Reddy who lodged the first complaint with the police. Vivekananda Reddy had reportedly returned home after 11 in the night and there were reportedly no family members at home.
YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy and his mother Vijayamma returned to Pulivendula, more than 430 km from Hyderabad. Vivekananda Reddy is survived by his wife and a daughter.
The police ordered a Special Investigation Team probe, headed by Avinash Mohanty, who was formerly Kadapa Superintendent of Police and right now Superintendent of Police with the Greyhounds. He will be supervised by Amit Garp who is additional Director General with the Criminal Investigation Department or CID.
YSR Congress leaders however said they want a CBI probe. YSRCP MP Vijay Sai Reddy said they do not trust a police force headed by Chandrababu Naidu as they suspect his hand in the murder. Mr Reddy in fact suggest that Mr Naidu had a role in the death of YS Rajashekhar Reddy in 2009 and in the death of their father YS Raja Reddy in 1998.
Chandrababu Naidu has opposed a probe by the CBI, saying that an attempt has been made to destroy evidences and if the CBI probes the case, the "murderers would get away."
Today, Jaganmohan Reddy will meet Governor ESL Narasimhan to apprise him about his uncle's killing.
The 68-year-old former agriculture minister was campaigning for the YSR Congress. On Thursday too, he had gone campaigning. His wife was away in Hyderabad.
The personal assistant MV Krishna Reddy said he found the house locked in the morning and he and the other staff received no response.
"I went in through a side door and found Vivekananda's body in the bathroom, with blood clots in the bedroom and the bathroom," Krishna Reddy said in his letter to the police.
Two days ago, Vivekananda Reddy had visited his nephew Jaganmohan Reddy at his Hyderabad home. The two had fallen out when Jaganmohan Reddy quit the Congress and formed a new party. But they reconciled later and Vivekananda Reddy had joined YSR Congress.