A gunman opened fire at K Nityananda Reddy near the KBR Park, in what was likely an attempt to kidnap him. He fled leaving his AK-47 behind when Reddy fought back.
An unidentified gunman opened fire at the Vice-Chairman of Aurobindo Pharma, K Nityananda Reddy, in what is being suspected as an attempt to kidnap him, near the Kasu Brahmnananda Reddy Park at Banjara Hills on Wednesday morning, police said.
Reddy, who was not injured, grappled with the assailant, who fired a volley of shots with an AK-47.
The gunman managed to flee after biting Nityananda Reddy's brother Prasad Reddy, who was also there, and who caught hold of the assailant.
In the melee, the assailant left the AK-47 and a bag in the car.
The incident occurred as Nityananda Reddy was getting into his car, an Audi SUV (AP09 CM 2367), after his morning walk in the park.
The assailant, according to the police, got into the car after following Nityananda Reddy to the car from the park.
Seeing the man pointing a gun at him, Nityananda Reddy caught hold of the barrel of the rifle, leading to a scuffle between the two.
"In the scuffle, the miscreant pressed the trigger. Eight rounds were fired. Immediately, Nityananda's brother, Prasad Reddy, who was close to the car, caught hold of the man. The gunman bit him and fled from the place leaving behind his weapon," a police official said.
Hyderabad City Police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy and other senior police officials visited the spot.
An eyewitness, who was cycling on the other side of the road near the NTR Memorial Trust Bhavan, the headquarters of the Telugu Desam Party, said that he heard a few shots first, and when he looked up, saw the scuffle going on, next to an Audi SUV, on the other side of the road. (INN)