One more cop's body found

VISAKHAPATNAM: After nearly 72 hours of search, the naval divers found the launch and the body of a Greyhounds cop in the Balimela reservoir even as the search operations by ace swimmers, scuba divers and risk teams continued. With the recovery of the cop's body, who has been identified as Jeevan Nair of Mahbubnagar district, the total number of bodies fished out of the nearly 436-feet deep reservoir rose to two.
However, reports said three more bodies were recovered from Sarukubanda area but the police have not confirmed this. Visakha range DIG Sandeep Sandilya said they were expecting to find more bodies with the search team having located the boat 40-50 metres deep inside the reservoir near Allampaka area, close to the ambush spot in which 35 Greyhounds were feared killed.
The DIG said with sonar equipment they could locate the launch and efforts are being made to retrieve it by Thursday. The vessel was buried in the soil at the bottom of the reservoir. Sources said 10 to 15 bodies could have been trapped in the launch as most of them were inside the cabin at the time of the Maoist attack. "We have requisitioned for a special cutting machine for removing the bodies from the launch," the DIG said.
The search teams also found two AK-47s of Greyhounds near Allampaka on Wednesday. Besides the weapons, the search teams recovered a few uniforms, caps and shoes.
Earlier, 12 ace swimmers were brought from Dowleiswaram to help the 15 marine commandos and four commandants in the rescue operations.
Sources said four Greyhounds personnel, among those 29 who have swum ashore, reached the Chitrakonda police station late on Tuesday night. These four cops swam nearly three kms, reached the Bodaputtu post.
Meanwhile, Maoists on Thursday claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack on Greyhounds. In a press release issued to newspaper offices, the Maoists hailed the role of Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) in successfully carrying out of the operation.