HYDERABAD: In a tragic incident in Sarinenigudem village in Yadadri Bhongir district Sarpanch Dharne Rani’s husband, her son and a friend drowned in a lake, along with the car they were travelling in. 

Police say that Dharne Madhu (38), son Manikanta (10) and a family friend Sridhar Reddy (25) set out for a neighbouring village on Friday morning. During their return, they washed their car at a tank on the village outskirts. 

Around 4 pm on Friday, when Sarpanch Rani called her husband, he told her that they were returning home. However, when they did not return home till late in the night, she called his mobile several times but it was switched off.

On Saturday, she lodged a complaint with the Ramannapet police station of Rachakonda commissionerate. Analysing call data records, police found that the last shown location was near the lake. Accordingly, police teams started combing the area around the lake. Further, when they searched inside the lake, they spotted the drowned car. 

DCP Bhongir K Narayana Reddy said Madhu was in the driving seat and his son was seated beside him, while Sridhar was in the rear seat. Initial reports suggest that Madhu might have lost control due to speeding. 

"The vehicle fell into the lake located by the roadside," the DCP said. "Skid marks on the bund indicate that Madhu failed to negotiate the curve on the road and the car plunged into the lake," he said. The car was later pulled out, and the three bodies retrieved.