Amaravati, Aug 13 (IANS): Murdered former Andhra Pradesh minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy's daughter and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's cousin Suneetha Reddy on Friday sought police protection for the family, saying there is threat to their lives.

In a letter to Kadapa Superintendent of Police K. K. N. Anburajan, she said Manikantha Reddy, whom she identified as a follower of ruling YSR Congress Party's leader Devireddy Siva Shankar Reddy, conducted recce near their house in Pulivendula on August 10.

She wrote that Siva Shankar Reddy is the suspect in the murder of her father and now his follower conducting a recce of their house led to suspicions.

Stating that they identified the suspect with CCTV camera footage, she asked the SP to provide protection to the family. She sent the CCTV footage camera in a pen drive along with the letter, copies of which were sent to the Director General of Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the sensational murder.

The development came at a time when the CBI has intensified probe into Vivekananda Reddy's murder. The central agency conducted the investigation for 68th day on Friday.

The CBI officials are questioning the suspects at R&B Guest House in Pulivendula. On Friday, YSRCP state Secretary Devireddy Shankar Reddy appeared for questioning. He is said to be a close aide of YSRCP MP from Kadapa, Y.S. Avinash Reddy.

Shankar Reddy is a key suspect in Vivekananda Reddy's murder case. Raghunath Reddy also appeared before the CBI for questioning on Friday.

Vivekananda Reddy, uncle of Jagan Mohan Reddy, was found murdered at his residence in Kadapa on March 15, 2019, a few days before the elections.

The 68-year-old former state minister and former MP was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and killed him. He was killed hours before he was to launch the YSR Congress Party's election campaign in Kadapa.

Though three Special Investigation Teams (SITs) of the state police conducted the probe they failed to solve the mystery.

On a petition filed by Suneetha Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had last year ordered a CBI probe. It was in July last year that the CBI began probe into the case.

In April this year, Suneetha Reddy found fault with the delay in the probe by the CBI, and reiterated that she has doubts about some of her family members.

She said though it has been more than two years since the murder of brother of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and uncle of present Chief Minister, but those involved have not been arrested.