Cong leader's daughter kidnapped, driver killed

Vijayawada, Jan 30: Four miscreants killed the driver of Congressman Palagani Prabhakar, also a BC leader, and kidnapped his nine-year-old daughter Vaishnavi, a student of standard IV. The miscreants came in two motorcycles and stalked the car at Madhuranagar BRTS road, near Satyanarayanapuram, at 8 a.m on Saturday.Driver Lakshmana Rao was stabbed repeadedly with a knife when he offered resistance. The assailants bandaged the steering wheel thoroughly before the attack so as to leave no trace of fingerprints or smear marks.Even before the locals knew what was happening, the miscreants left their bykes on the spot and sped away with Prabhakar's car along with his daughter.

However, Prabhakar's son Sai Nagateja (standard IX), sensing trouble jumped out of the car.The white Tavera vehicle with which the miscreants sped away was found abandoned at Kunchinapalli near Tadepalli mandal in Guntur district. The police found the motorcycles left by the assailants were also stolen vehicles.Vaishnavi was kidnapped four years ago also. While the grapewine has it that Prabhakar paid the ransom of Rs 5 lakh and got his daughter released, he now says that he never paid the ransom and got her released with the help of police.

It is learnt that the kidnappers left a note in the abandoned car stating they had to kill the driver as he knew their identity. The family members of Prabhakar alleged that it might be the handiwork of those who kidnapped her four years ago. The police believe that Prabhakar's business rivals might have plotted the kidnap. Prabhakar also deals with real estate besides other businesses.Congress leader Kolanaukonda Sivaji told newsmen on saturday that Prabhakar is a man with no rivals and expected that police would achieve a breakthrough by Sunday.