Amaravati, Nov 30 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh's Minister for Transport, Information and Public Relations Perni Venkatramaiah alias Nani has escaped unhurt in an attack by a construction worker near his residence in Machilipatnam town in Krishna district.

According to police, a mason attacked Nani with a trowel when he was coming out of his residence. The minister's gunman overpowered him and handed him over to the police.

The attacker was identified as B. Nageshwar Rao. He was suspected to be drunk.

Police arrested him and began questioning. They were trying to ascertain the motive behind the attack.

Police said a case of attempt to murder was booked against the attacker based on a complaint lodged by the minister's followers.

The minister told reporters that people from nearby villages visited his residence to attend 12th-day ceremony of his mother, who passed away recently. As he was coming out of his residence, a man came to him, bent down to touch his feet and suddenly whipped out a trowel to attack him in his abdomen.

The trowel brushed the buckle of his trouser. The attacker tried to attack once again but the minister's gunman caught him.

Nani's close associate and a leader of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Moka Bhaskar was murdered in Machilipatnam allegedly by his political rival Chinni in June. Former minister Kollu Ravindra of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was also arrested in the case on charges of plotting the murder of Bhaskar.