BSNL TOWERS AND SATELLITE PICTURES TO FIND AP CM RAJASEKHARA REDDY

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy's fate still appeared uncertain as search operations to locate the missing chopper carrying Reddy resumed in Nallamalai forest region at 6:30 am on Thursday morning, officials said. At the day break, at least five IAF helicopters resumed search operations while the Army and police intensified the biggest-ever search operation.Aerial search by helicopters to locate the missing Bell-430 chopper were stopped last evening because of bad light and weather conditions in the area. The SP said Greyhounds -- Andhra's elite anti-naxalite commando force -- Army, state police forces and CRPF personnel were engaged in search operations.

"Several parties of the Greyhounds, Army, State police and CRPF have been pressed into service," Srikant said adding hundreds of local civilians and tribals have also joined the search operations. According to the latest development a 5-km radius area in the Nallamalai forests in the state from where the missing helicopter carrying Reddy made the last contact to Air Traffic Control has been identified, Union Minister Prithviraj Chavan said here.

"By triangulation, we have located the area which is about 5-km raidus circle and it has been identified based on the last contact with the Air Traffic Control," Chavan, the Union Minister of State in the PMO, told reporters. "They (people on board the chopper) were carrying about five cell phones and so whenever a cell phone passes through a tower it will register and with best help from BSNL, we will identify the area," Chavan, who along with Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily rushed here last night, said. "We are sparing no efforts whatsoever. We have deployed everything what we have got, Airforce, state police, air-surveillance, satellite imagery and remote-sensing aircraft have been taking photos. Everything has been put into service," Chavan said. "It is that area where the last contact with Air Traffic Control was made and also contact with a BSNL mobile tower was made," he said. Chavan said the photos were not visible clearly and he expects to get clear information in the morning.

Chief secretary ramakant reddy said that the operations have been marred by inclement weather and rainfall which was expected to continue for the next 48 hours. He also revealed that the US Defence Department had been approached through the Central government for its satellite support. US Ambassador Timothy J Roemer offered all assistance but the NSA politely refused the help, NSA said. The secretary had said Indian satellites had till now not been able to peer through the clouds. “They can’t provide real-time imagery,” he had added.