[Dawn] A powerful south Indian politician has been killed in a helicopter crash in a densely forested area in Andhra Pradesh state, a cabinet minister said Wednesday.Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh state, and four senior colleagues who have been missing for more than 24 hours were found dead in an area known as a stronghold for Maoist militants.
'It is a great loss for the people and the Congress party,' the minister told AFP, asking not to be named because the news had not been officially announced by the government.
Reddy was a major powerbroker in Indian politics and has been energetically pursuing tie-ups with international investors to turn his state into India's second-largest software hub after Bangalore in neighbouring Karnataka state.
The helicopter went missing more than 24 hours ago, sparking a massive land-and-air search operation.
The air force found the mangled wreckage early Thursday and commandos were lowered to the spot to identify the five bodies, a senior air force official said in New Delhi.
The helicopter was found at the top of a hill 74 kilometres from Kurnool, a dense forest area in Andhra Pradesh.
He is survived by his wife, Vijaya Lakshmi and two children.