Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy admitted on Friday that the state police had erred by opening fire on an agitated mob, which led to the death of seven people at Modigonda in Khammam district last week.

After a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi to apprise her about the incident, Reddy said the police had to resort to firing as they had been outnumbered by the mob, which was pelting stones at them. “But I think even as the last resort, proper drill like using tear gas, firing in air and firing below knee, was not followed,” said the CM, adding that it was in view of these lapses on the part of the police that the Superintendent of Police was transferred and many senior officials suspended.

Although the Congress President asked the CM to “be more careful” in future, she was “satisfied” with his Government’s response. The state Government had instituted a judicial inquiry, announced ex-gratia of Rs 6 lakh each to the family of the victims, promised a government job for one family member and also committed to give two acres of land to each aggrieved family.

The Congress High Command was learnt to have instructed the CM not to be cowed down by the Left’s pressure. The Congress is learnt to have decided to take on the Left if the UPA allies at the Centre continue to create trouble for the state Government.