Hyderabad, September 02: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy still untraced. He was gone missing while on his way from Karnool to Chittoor.
The Chief Minister was supposed to land at 1045 hrs IST in Chitoor. But due to bad weather Reddy’s helicopter made an emergency landing at Pamulapadu in Kurnool district.
Officials said that Reddy’s helicopter could have landed in Pamulapadu at about 1230 hrs IST.
The helicopter lost contact with Air Traffic Controller at the Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad 1013 hrs IST and since then there has not been any contact with the Chief Minister.
Reddy had taken off in a helicopter from Hyderabad at 0845 hrs IST.
Kurnool Superintendent of Police said that they have not been able to locate the Chief Minister so far. He said that Pamulapadu, Banakacherla and Karivena areas in the districts have been searched but the Chief Minister could not be traced.
He added that a police team under Deputy Superintendent of Police Venkatnarayna is searching Atmakur taluk. The SP and other senior district officials have already reached the spot where the helicopter landed.
Due to bad mobile connectivity and the area being heavily forested, officials have so far failed to make any contact with the Chief Minister sending security agencies into a tizzy.
Four Army helicopters have been pressed into service to locate Reddy. While three helicopters have been brought in from Bangalore, one of the helicopter has been sent from Hyderabad.
Even though the area is not Naxal-affected but there was panic as the officials have not been unable to contact Reddy.
While some sources claimed that Reddy had been traced and taken to Kurnool guest house after a four-hour frantic search involving Army helicopters and security agencies but there has been no official confirmation of it.