Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday announced an exgratia of Rs 5 lakh to each of the families of the students, who were washed away in the Beas River last week. Moving a motion in the Assembly condoling the death of the students, Mr Rao said that 24 students, 18 boys and 6 girls, were reportedly drowned.
He said that his government acted swiftly in taking up search and rescue operations in Mandi and rushed home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy and senior police officials to the accident site, and that they are camping at the site to monitor rescue operations. He said the commissioner of disaster management, Mr B.R. Meena and Greyhounds SP Karthikeyan were also rushed to the spot.
"I have also spoken to Himachal Pradesh CM Veerabhadra Singh and requested him to take immediate rescue operations," Mr Rao said. KCR said his government also requested the defence ministry to spare helicopters and IAF aircraft to bring the bodies back to Hyderabad. An IAF helicopter was arranged to send the bodies from the mishap site to Chandigarh airport.
The House observed a two-minute silence to mourn the students. All arrangements were made for parents to reach Himachal Pradesh from Hyderabad by flight besides providing accommodation and transport facilities there.
