M A I N   N E W S

Chopper missing, Andhra CM untraced
* Principal Secy among 4 others on board
* Search operations on
Suresh Dharur
Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, September 2
A helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy went missing in bad weather conditions over the Maoist-infested Nallamala forest area in Kurnool district today, triggering panic in the state.

There was no trace of the twin-engine Bell-430 chopper, which lost radio contact at 9.30 am, till late in the night even as massive search operation, assisted by the Army and the Indian Air Force, was launched across the 400 sq km forest area.

“So far, there is no information about the helicopter. We are making all possible efforts to locate it,” Chief Secretary P Ramakanth Reddy told reporters here.

Seven helicopters, including four from the IAF, and a special low-flying aircraft from ISRO, which can take high-resolution pictures, are engaged in the aerial search operations, while over 2,000 policemen have been deployed for ground operations.

The chopper, carrying the CM, his Chief Security Officer ASC Wesley, Principal Secretary S Subrahmanyam and two pilots, left Hyderabad at 8.30 am and was scheduled to land at Chittoor, about 600 km from the state capital, at 10.30 am. The CM was scheduled to launch a mass contact programme and interact with villagers at Chittoor.

The chopper lost the radio contact with the Air Traffic Control at 9.30 am while flying over Nallamala forest area in bad weather conditions. Since then, the state administration was caught in utter confusion about the fate of the chopper. With each passing hour, tension kept mounting and the mood turning grim.

Heavy rains, difficult terrain and Maoist presence in the Nallamala forest region have further added to the fears of the authorities. The inclement weather and heavy downpour are hampering the search operations.

Initially, it was thought that the pilot might have made emergency landing in the Nallamala forest area near Kurnool due to bad weather. However, the mood turned grim with no communication from the CM and no trace of the chopper.

Special police parties, including anti-Naxalite force and five battalions of CRPF, have fanned out across the districts of Kurnool, Mahaboobnagar, Chittor and Prakasam and carrying out search operations.

Large contingents of ‘Grey Hounds’, the elite anti-Naxalite commando force, have been rushed to Kurnool and Prakasam districts for search and rescue operations. Contradictory reports from various government agencies further compounded the confusion. The Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel’s announcement in the afternoon that the CM’s helicopter had landed safely had brought cheers to the administration.

However, within hours, the government denied the reports of safe landing and said the chopper was still untraceable.

The Finance Minister K Rosaiah, widely seen as number two in the state Congress hierarchy, appealed to the people, particularly the tribals in Nallamala area, to help in tracing the missing chopper.

An emergency monitoring centre has been set up at the Secretariat here. The Chief Secretary, DGP SSP Yadav, Intelligence Chief Aravinda Rao and political advisor to the government KVP Ramachandra Rao are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating the efforts to trace the chopper.

Due to bad mobile connectivity and the area being inaccessible, officials have so far failed to make any contact with the CM, sending security agencies into a tizzy.

“So far we have not been able to make any contact. It is possible that because of strong winds and inclement weather, it may have landed in an unfamiliar area from where getting out can be difficult. The time we have before sunset is limited and it is raining heavily,” the Chief Secretary said.

The Prime Minister’s Office, Union Home Ministry and Defence Ministry have been monitoring the search operations while the office of Congress President Sonia Gandhi was in touch with the state government.

The Nallamala forest is spread over 6,000 sq km and traverses through Mahabubnagar, Kurnool and Prakasam districts which are on the flight path of the helicopter. The aerial rescue operations are being spearheaded by the IAF’s Training Command headquartered in Bangalore.

PM, Sonia concerned
Anita Katyal
Our Political Correspondent

New Delhi, September 2
Concerned at the mysterious disappearance of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s helicopter, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are monitoring the situation as land and air search operations were intensified tonight.

While Sonia Gandhi asked Law Minister and AICC in charge Veerappa Moily and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office Prithviraj Chavan to rush to Hyderabad to coordinate efforts between the state and the Centre, the PM was briefed about the latest by his office and Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Chidambaram and Moily had also met Congress president at her residence to update her about the efforts being made to hunt for the missing helicopter and its passengers.

“Sonia Gandhi and her office are continuously monitoring the situation,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters, adding: “We pray to God for his safety and hope that he returns to work soon”.

Tewari said both PM and the Congress president were in touch with the Andhra Chief Minister's office that has been assured all possible help from the Centre. Sonia Gandhi also spoke to the Chief Minsiter’s wife. At the same time, the Congress was also in touch with the party’s state unit and the state government, he added.

Hands rise in prayer

Hyderabad, September 2
With panic and anxiety writ large on their faces, hundreds of Congress party workers gathered at the state secretariat here waiting to hear some news about the whereabouts and safety of CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who remained untraced.

State ministers, top bureaucrats, a large number of state employees, ruling party leaders and workers descended at the secretariat as the news about the chief minister spread.

With prayers on their lips, the Congress leaders and admirers of YSR stood outside the D block in the secretariat, which houses the Chief Minister's Office. — IANS

Air tragedies not new

New Delhi, September 2
Tragedies have struck many air-borne political leaders even as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YSR Reddy has been missing after the helicopter carrying him lost contact since morning today.

Sanjay Gandhi was killed when the glider he was flying crashed at the Safdarjung airport in Delhi some 29 years back.Madhavrao Scindia was killed in a plane crash on September 30, 2001, less than a decade ago when he was travelling to Kanpur for addressing a Congress rally. Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi died in a chopper crash on March 3, 2002 in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.Haryana ministers O P Jindal and Surendra Singh were killed in a chopper crash a few years back.

Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress President and Union Ministers Prithviraj Chavan and Selja had a miraculous escape in 2004. — PTI