Telangana: 4 killed, driver critical as SUV overturns on NH-44 near Hyderabad

Four members of a family were killed and the driver was critically injured after the Toyota Innova car in which they were travelling crashed into a culvert and overturned on Hyderabad-Bengaluru National Highway (NH-44) near Palamakula village, about 25 km from Hyderabad, in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

The accident occurred at around 4.30am when the family was returning from Mettugadda Thanda in Nawabpet mandal of Mahabubnagar district towards Shamshabad after attending Ganesh immersion festivities in their native village.

According to preliminary information, the SUV was travelling at high speed when it rammed into a culvert near Palamakula before overturning.

“The impact was severe, leaving the vehicle extensively mangled. Four occupants died on the spot,” a police officer from the Shamshabad police station said.

The deceased were identified as Kethavath Limbya (54), his wife Kethavath Jamuna (45), Katravath Mansingh (48), and Kethavath Vasram (45).

All four were from the Lambada community and were residents of Chowdur village in Nawabpet mandal, police officer said, adding that the driver, identified as Sabavath Ashok, sustained major injuries in the crash.

Shamshabad police and emergency personnel reached the spot after receiving information about the accident and shifted Ashok to Trident Hospital in Shamshabad for treatment. “His condition is said to be critical,” the police official said.

The bodies of the four victims have been shifted to the Osmania General Hospital mortuary for postmortem.

“A case has been registered and an investigation has been launched into the accident. We are examining the circumstances surrounding the crash, including how the vehicle hit the culvert and overturned,” the police officer added.

Srinivasa Rao is Senior Assistant Editor based out of Hyderabad covering developments in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana . He has over three decades of reporting experience.