AP swimmer cop aims for record, drowns in Krishna river

An Andhra Pradesh Special Protection Force Police (APSPF) head constable, who aspired to set a record in swimming with his legs and hands tied, died in Vijayawada on Sunday during a practice session.

Lanke Umamaheswar Rao was supposed to perform the feat before a team from the Guinness Book of World Records on the eve of Republic Day.

According to sources from APSPF, the 40-year-old police officer had been practising swimming across river Krishna with his hands and legs tied. He had performed the feat many times over the last month.

However, on Sunday, while crossing the river, he suffered a massive stroke and drowned. Divers who were following him rushed him to hospital, but he was declared dead.

Rao was a native of Oleru in Guntur district. He was a swimming enthusiast, who had joined the police force in 1994.

He had already secured a place in the Limca Book of Records, the India Book of Records and the AP Book of records.