Actress Soundarya dies in plane crash

Bangalore: Popular South Indian actress Soundarya, who joined BJP recently, was among four persons killed in a helicopter crash at Jakkur near Bangalore on Saturday, party and police sources said.

Soundarya was going to Karimnagar in Andhra Pradesh to campaign for BJP when the four-seater chopper crashed, Karnataka BJP President H.N. Ananth Kumar said.

The chopper carrying the actress and two others besides the pilot caught fire minutes after it took-off from Jakkur airstrip on the city outskirts, Kumar said.

Karnataka DGP T. Madiyal said that the bodies were charred beyond recognition.

The helicopter belonged to "Agni Aviation", Madiyal said. The pilot has been identified as Philips.