Hyderabad Family Dies in US Car Crash
A family from Hyderabad on vacation in the United States was tragically killed in a car accident involving a truck. Authorities are conducting DNA tests to formally confirm the victims' identities. The incident occurred while the family was traveling during a weekend trip.
The victims were identified as Venkat Bejugam, 40, his wife Tejaswini Cholleti, 36, and their two children, nine-year-old Siddarth and seven-year-old Mrida. The family, originally from the Kompally area in Hyderabad, had been living in the Sutton Fields community near Dallas, Texas for the last three years. The fatal head-on collision occurred in Greene County, Alabama, when a mini-truck, reportedly speeding on the wrong side of the road, struck the family's vehicle. The family was returning to Dallas after a Fourth of July weekend trip to Atlanta, where they had been visiting relatives. The impact of the crash caused the family's car to immediately burst into flames, trapping all four occupants inside. The resulting fire was so intense that it left the vehicle completely burnt and the victims' bodies charred beyond recognition, necessitating forensic analysis and DNA testing for formal identification. Relatives in the U.S. reported that police had received as many as 26 calls about the truck driving erratically in the wrong lane before the collision occurred. The family was reportedly just ten minutes away from the hotel where they had planned to rest for the night when the accident happened. Both Venkat and Tejaswini were IT professionals working for U.S.-based companies. Venkat’s elderly parents were also with them on the trip to Atlanta but had taken a flight back to Dallas, a decision that saved their lives. The Indian Consulate is coordinating with local authorities to facilitate the repatriation of the remains to their family. Non-profit organizations like TEAM Aid are also assisting the victims' relatives with logistical support and legal aid.
