The assault hit Bandi Deepti’s house at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, when a black Mahindra Scorpio and two motorcycles arrived, slashing glass and dropping a broken liquor bottle on the porch— a machete recovered nearby. Police recovered the shattered bottle and a broken blade, and CCTV footage shows the vehicles approaching the front yard before the attackers fled.
Bandi Deepti, the YSRCP’s mayoral nominee, has accused TDP workers of orchestrating the raid to intimidate her into withdrawing from the contest. She said the motive was political intimidation, a claim that the opposition has denied. The attack comes amid a series of confrontations between the ruling Telugu Desam Party and YSRCP during the nomination process, with police firing tear gas in Pulivendula and stone‑pelted clashes in Kadapa town.
The local police have registered a case and are combing through CCTV footage from nearby shops and public transport hubs to trace the vehicles. They are also cross‑checking license‑plate data, although the black Scorpio reportedly lacked any plates. An investigation team is interviewing witnesses who saw the attackers leave the scene on motorcycles.
The case is slated for a preliminary hearing next week, and the police will hand over the CCTV evidence to the district court. The investigation remains ongoing as the municipal elections loom, and both parties have pledged to keep the process free from violence. The outcome of the court’s review could determine whether the suspects face criminal charges before the election day.