Thursday, September 10, 2009

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Andhra Pradesh CM YSR Reddy dead in chopper crash

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has died in an air crash, home minister P Chidambaram has formally announced

"We are in deep mourning," the home minister said, describing YSR, who led the Congress to a spectacular election victory in May this year, as "a tall leader". ( Watch Video )

"... We send our condolences to the families of YSR and the other four (who died in the helicopter crash)." ( Watch Video )

In Pics: YSR Reddy (1949-2009)

The bodies of 60-year-old Reddy, his special secretary P Subramanyam, chief security officer A S C Wesley, pilot Group Captain S K Bhatia and co-pilot M S Reddy were found on Rudrakonda Hill, 40 nautical miles east of here, besides the mangled remains of the helicopter. ( Watch Video )

YSR's mortal remains are being flown to Kurnool General Hospital. After a postmortem there, they will be brought to Hyderabad, state government sources said.

After being brought to Hyderabad, YSR's body will be taken to the chief minister's camp office in Begumpet. The bodies of the other four people would be taken to their respective native places.

The chief minister's body will be kept at the Lal Bahadur stadium in Hyderabad from 10 am Friday to enable people to pay their last respects.

On Friday, at 1 pm, YSR's body will be taken to Pulivendula, his native town in Kadapa district, where he will be cremated with state honours.

Meanwhile, big crowds have gathered outside the state secretariat and YSR's residence. As Thursday is also the day for the immersion of Ganesh idols at the end of the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and there is a huge traffic dislocation in the city, cops are finding it difficult to manage the situation.

The central leadership of the Congress is understood to have cleared the name of Andhra Pradesh finance minister K Rosaiah as the caretaker CM of the state.

The Union Cabinet is meeting to discuss the matter.

The helicopter carrying YSR Reddy, two of his staff and two pilots went missing in pouring rain Wednesday morning over the Naxal and tiger-infested Nalamalla forests.

Nearly 24 hours after YSR's chopper went missing, it was located atop Serai Salem hill, at a distance 40 nautical miles (70 kms) east of Kurnool.

The CM left Hyderabad on a six-seater Bell chopper at 8.35am for Chittoor accompanied by his secretary and chief security officer. After 9.27am, radio contact was lost with the helicopter.

Soon after the chopper lost contact, multiple agencies of the state launched a massive hunt for possible wreckage in the desolate terrain. By evening, it expanded into the country's biggest-ever search operation with satellites in the sky joining remote sensing aircraft , fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, troops on the ground and even barefoot deer-hunting tribals with bows and arrows

Reddy's chopper had deviated from route, hit a cliff

Thu, Sep 3 02:37 PM

Hyderabad, Sept 3 (PTI) Pioneering leader YSR who orchestrated congress's victory in Andhra Pradesh will be laid to rest in is home town of Pulivendula in Kadapa with complete state honour. The late chief minister's body will be flown to Pulivendula.

While congress's search for YSR's successor continues, state Finance Minister K Rosaiah has been sworn in as acting CM.

Full coverage: Andhra CM YSR Reddy dies

Hunt for successor to YSR begins

DGCA speaks in twin voices on YSR chopper's airworthiness

Andhra CM YSR Reddy died in a helicopter mishap while on his way from Hyderabad to Chittoor yesterday . The helicopter carrying the CM deviated 18 km from its path towards east, near Rudrakoduru in the Nallamala forest range in Kurnool district, before it hit a cliff and crashed. "The chopper hit the cliff, crashed and exploded. All the five persons in the ill-fated helicopter were burnt to death," state Finance Minister K Rosaiah and Chief Secretary P Ramakanth Reddy said here today.

The chopper might have drifted from its path because of a large cloud formation due to inclement weather and ended up hitting the cliff, they said. Except the tail portion, the body of the Bell-430 helicoper of AP Aviation Corporation was reduced to bits and pieces in the mishap.

The helicopter crashed 10 km away from Rudrakoduru on a hostile terrain and army commandos had to slither down with the help of a rope from a rescue helicopter. "Initially three bodies were traced and then the fourth one. It took a while to locate the fifth body. We have identified the bodies from the dresses," Director General of Police S S P Yadav said. .

Bodies found in charred condition: Chidambaram

New Delhi, Sep 3 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday said the bodies of Andhra Chief Minister Y.S.Rajashekhara Reddy and four others who were killed in the chopper crash are still at the site of the accident.

Speaking to newsmen outside the South Block office of the Prime Minister, Chidambaram said: "all the bodies are charred. The chopper was also charred."

" The Union Cabinet will meet at 3 p.m today. We are in complete mourning, deep sense of grief, shock and loss at the passing away of the Chief Minister, a tall leader," he said.

The Cabinet will pass a resolution condoling the death of the chief Minister and the others. Our deepest condolences to the family of Mr.Y.S.Rajashekhara Reddy and families of the others who have died. We share our grief with the families."

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K. Rosaiah said Chief Minister's body will be places in the Lal Bahaddur Shastri stadium in Hyderabad to allow the public and supporters to pay their last respects. (ANI)

Rosaiah likely to be made Acting CM

Thu, Sep 3 12:15 PM

New Delhi, Sep 3 (PTI) Senior Andhra Pradesh minister K Rosaiah is likely to be made the Acting Chief Minister in the wake of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy''s death in a chopper crash. Highly placed Congress sources said the party was not in a hurry to convene the meeting of Congress Legislature Party to elect a leader and the same could take place after three or four days.

77-year-old Rosaiah is the state Finance Minister and the number two in the state cabinet. The Congress Working Committee is meeting later in the day.