murder
[Representational Image]Johannes Simon/Getty Images

Andhra Pradesh MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao from Araku Valley and former MLA Siveri Soma were shot by Maoists in the Araku valley district in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday afternoon.

They were shot at point-blank range at Liviriputtu in Dumbriguda mandal.

According to the Deccan Chronicle, the duo was returning from a function. Rao had received threats from the Maoists in the past.

Who was Kidari Sarveswara Rao?

Kidari Sarveswara Rao was an MLA of Araku Valley and had won the seat with YSR Congress Party or Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party. However, in 2016, Rao shifted to Telugu Desam Party, led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

Rao had been under the Naxals' radar since he had been supporting illegal bauxite mining in the region and had been repeatedly warned by the Maoists.

Reports say that the Naxals were observing Rao's movement for the past few days and attacked the MLA and his companion on Sunday afternoon.

According to the police, around 60 Naxals were involved in the Rao's and Soma's murders. The Naxal group included Naxal sympathisers as well as cadres of the group.

Rural SP Rahul Dev Sharma had told TOI that all politicians were given the notice to inform the local police before travelling through or visiting a place on the Naxal hit-list. Sharma said that neither Soma nor Rao informed the police of their travel.