VISAKHAPATNAM: A spying bug has been found in the vehicle of Narsipatnam municipality vice-chairman Ch Sanyasi Patrudu, the younger brother of Roads and Buildings Minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu, sending the family previously targeted by Maoists into a tizzy. Naxals killed one of the Minister’s brothers, Ch Srinivas Patrudu, in the late 90s and a bid was made on Ayyanna’s life at his Visakhapatnam residence in 2001.
According to sources, the device was found when Sanyasi’s car was being washed two days ago.
In June, Maoists warned the Minister’s son, Ch Vijay, of dire consequences, accusing him of being a party to illegal quarrying in Sarugudu of GK Mandal in Visakhapatnam district. After the incident, the security cover given to the Patrudu family was beefed up. The Minister himself has received several threat letters from the red rebels and has been advised not to venture into agency areas without prior intimation to the police.
Sources close to the family said Ayyanna does not have any idea about who planted the gadget in the car and since how many days it has been in the vehicle.It is suspected that the gadget could be a receiver through which conversations in its vicinity could be heard from elsewhere. However, police said they were yet to receive any complaints from the Minister’s family. “We have not received any complaints from Sanyasi Patrudu or the Minister. Narsipatnam Town Police approached Sanyasi after the incident came to light. He said he would approach us after discussing the issue with his family,” Visakhapatnam Rural SP Rahul Dev Sharma told TNIE.