Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who survived an assassination attempt by People?s War group naxalites, was yesterday brought to Hyderabad by a special aircraft shortly after which he drove straight to his residence.

The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh was driving to the temple town of Tirumala. Police officials said the People?s War Naxalites were behind the incident. Police sources said the Naxalites must have planted the mines a few days before, as the CM?s tour programme to Tirumala had been made public earlier. As flying above the abode of Lord Venkateswara is prohibited, all the VVIPs take the road. It is not clear how the mines escaped the security personnel, who usually check trees and culverts on the CM?s route for explosives.

Naidu, who suffered injuries on his nose, chest and fracture of the collar bone in a series of mine blasts triggered by the Naxalites on Wednesday in Tirumala, walked out of the aircraft down the ladder and got into his bullet-proof car waiting at the tarmac to head for his home.

Along with Naidu, Information Technology Minister B Gopalakrishna Reddy, who suffered rib fractures, was also brought here and admitted to NIMS, the sources said.