Indian authorities launched a massive search operation after a helicopter carrying a powerful politician from a southern state went missing amid heavy rains Wednesday, officials said.YS Rajasekhara Reddy, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh state, remained untraced eight hours after the chopper left state capital Hyderabad for the southern Chittoor district on Wednesday morning, state chief secretary Ramakant Reddy told reporters.
Indian security agencies were worried as it was unclear whether the helicopter had crashed or landed in some remote forest area. The region has been experiencing heavy monsoon rains. Concerns were also raised as senior ministers realized that the helicopter could have landed in the Nallamalla forest region which is a stronghold of Maoist rebels.
Andhra Pradesh is among the Indian states worst affected by the Maoist insurgency. The Maoist rebels claim they are fighting for the rights of the landless, poor and tribal people and are inspired by the Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
The state government issued an appeal to locals to conduct a search in the area. "So far we have not been able to get any confirmed information (about Rajasekhara Reddy). It is possible that because of strong winds and heavy rains that they may have landed in some unfamiliar area or forest," Ramakant Reddy said. Seven helicopters and an unmanned drone were pressed into the search operations but inclement weather was hampering the task. Further, with sundown approaching, the chances of the rescue mission succeeding had become slim.