Dharamsala, September 3 - Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has died in an air crash, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday. 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 Kurnool, besides the mangled remains of the helicopter.
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. After 9.27AM, radio contact was lost with the helicopter.
Reddy met with His Holiness in 2006 during the Kalachakra initiations for which his government took an active interest and provided on huge scale the infrastructure and facility for the religious congregation making Amravati Kalachakra one of the best organized Kalachakras of all time.
Reddy responded positively to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s plea to turn Amravati into an international Buddhist learning and tourist center. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said he was encouraged by the revival of Buddhism in Amravati in the 21st century.
Reddy will be cremated with full state honours at his native place Pulivendula in Cuddapah District on Friday. The Andhra Pradesh Government has announced seven days state mourning in honour of the deceased leader. The national flag will be hoisted at half-mast.
The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will visit Andhra Pradesh to pay their last respects to the departed soul. BSP Supremo & UP CM Mayawati also express deep concern over the tragic death of YSR.
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