Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, Mar 04, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, Mar 04, 2002 |
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Accidents Government - Politics Balayogi dies in copter crash Our Bureau
Mr G.M.C. Balayogi
HYDERABAD, March 3 THE Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr G.M.C. Balayogi, died in a helicopter mishap in Kovvadalanka village of Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh this morning. The private helicopter, which was to bring Mr Balayogi to Hyderabad from Bhimavaram in West Godavari district, took off at about 7.45 a.m. on Sunday, but crashed within 20 minutes. It reportedly developed a technical snag and as the pilot was trying to make an emergency landing, hit a tree, before falling to the ground near a fish pond. Mr Balayogi, along with his private security, Mr K.S. Raju, and the pilot of the helicopter died in the accident. Mr Balayogi is survived by his wife Mrs Vijaya Kumari, three daughters and a son. The Chief Minister, Mr Chandrababu Naidu, and senior Ministers in his Cabinet rushed to the accident site. The 51-year old, soft-spoken and affable Mr Balayogi, was not only the youngest among MPs, at 47, to become the Lok Sabha Speaker, but also the country's first dalit to rise to the coveted post. Mr Balayogi endeared himself to a majority of the current Lok Sabha members and was striving hard to evolve a consensus on a code of conduct for the MPs to bring more order and meaning to the proceedings of the House. Reacting to the incident, the State Home Minister, Mr Devender Goud, said that Mr Balayogi was to have taken a train to Hyderabad on Saturday night, but had changed his plan to stay back and go by private helicopter on Sunday morning. Stating that the region near the accident area experienced thick fog which could have caused the crash, Mr Goud said an enquiry had been ordered into the accident. The Chief Minister held an emergency Cabinet meeting and reviewed the situation. Mr Balayogi's body, which was brought to Hyderabad in the evening, is expected to be flown to New Delhi tomorrow morning.His funeral is planned for Wednesday in his native village of Yedurulanka near Amalapuram. See also Page 3
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