Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday night asked Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Veerbhadra Singh to speed up rescue operations to trace the bodies of engineering students from Andhra Pradesh who were feared drowned in Beas river.
Of the 24 students feared drowned, bodies of only five students have been fished out so far.
"Parents of the students have complained about the slow pace of rescue operations in Himachal Pradesh. I have requested the state chief minister as well as union Home Minister to speed up operations," Chandrababu told reporters here.
The AP government has arranged a special flight to carry grieving parents to Himachal Pradesh. About 22 students, who escaped the tragedy, reached Kulu safely and efforts were on to bring them back to Andhra Pradesh.
"Parents of some students met me personally. They were in lot of grief since the fate of their kids was not known," he said.
A girl student spoke to her mother minutes before the tragedy and enquired about Chandrababu's swearing-in ceremony.
"This is so moving," Chandrababu said.
He said the tragedy is the result of an unmindful act by irrigation authorities in Himachal Pradesh.
"They released water from the reservoir without any warning, which caused a flash flood. We lost 24 students who had a very bright future," the AP Chief Minister said.
"This incident is an example of how destiny chases humans," he said.
The AP Chief Minister said the Chief Secretary of Telangana has been asked to co-ordinate rescue operations with his Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh counterparts.
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