The Andhra Pradesh government has ordered a probe into the deadly Maoist attack in the AP-Orissa border, where at least 35 policemen are feared drowned.
Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who visited the spot, expressed fear that there was little hope for the missing Greyhound commandos drowned in the water reservoir.
But he said search operations were on in full swing.
Home Minister K Jana Reddy, who accompanied the chief minister, said there were 60 policemen on the boat, including 55 Greyhound commandos, two sub-inspectors and three home guards. There were also four civilians travelling with them when the boat was ambushed by Maoists.
"It is feared that they might have gone down along with the boat," he said.
The search teams are yet to identify the exact place where the boat drowned.
The chief minister rejected the criticism that the incident was the result of any intelligence failure or any laxity on the part of the police.
''As per the rule, they went by one route and were returning by another route. They did what was good in a given situation," he said.
The chief minister said a senior police officer would conduct an inquiry into the incident to find out the circumstances in which the incident took place.
"He will not only give an assessment report, but will also make recommendations to prevent recurring such incidents in future," he said.
The chief minister who visited the 10 injured policemen at a hospital and said that the their sacrifice would not go in vain.
"Extremists and Maoists should realize that they are not going to gain any thing from senseless violent activities. They are not going to capture power through the barrel of gun. The state has created a situation in which no body has reasons to take the path of extremism," he said.
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