5000 CRPF personnel involved in search for Andhra CM

Hyderabad, Sep.2 (ANI): At least 5,000 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have reportedly been deployed for the search of missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

State Government sources said the CRPF personnel would move along the same route that the chief minister took, notwithstanding the inclement weather. It is reported also that the eleven choppers, including four from the Indian Air Force (IAF), may call off their aerial search soon due to dwindling light.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has separately set up 14 teams, each consisting of eight members (112 personnel), to search for Reddy and the seven-seater Bell chopper in which he was traveling to Chitoor District.

Local villagers have also been provided with torches and other equipment to help in the search of an area that is dominated by Naxals.

The State Government has also asked the Central Government to provide it with an unmanned aircraft and all-weather Fokker aircraft for the search operation in the Nanamalla and Seer Sailam forest ranges, where the chopper is believed to have made an emergency landing due to bad weather. At least seven choppers, including four from the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been pressed into the rescue operation.

The State Government has also said that it will be giving a fresh update on the situation at 7 p.m. (ANI)