Six returning from pilgrimage killed as car plunges into canal in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Six members of a petty vendor's family returning from Vemulawada pilgrimage met a watery grave after their car fell into a roadside canal at Jagdevpur in Siddipet district on Tuesday. While five died on the spot, the sixth person succumbed to injuries in Gandhi Hospital at Secunderabad.
Police said the Alto hit a newly-constructed culvert wall and plunged into the canal 12-15 ft below. "The vehicle crashed into the canal wheels up. Even though depth of the water was not deep, the passengers in the car suffered grievous injuries. They could not get out of the vehicle and drowned," Gajwel ACP M Ramesh said.
The accident occurred due to negligent driving, police said. Locals along with police got the car up and pulled out the bodies. The victims were heading back to Bibinagar after having darshan at Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada.
The deceased have been identified as Bollu Sammaiah, 38, wife Sravanthi, 36, their children, Karthik, 15 and Bhavya, 14, and Sravanthi's mother Bittu Rajamani, 56. and father Venkatesh, 60.
"The accident occurred at around 4 pm when Sammaiah's family was returning to Bibinagar ," Gajwel rural inspector Koteshwar Rao said.
Police said the culvert was constructed between Teegul and Mudigadapa villages near Jagdevpur which is where the car hit the side wall and fell into the canal. Sammaiah was at the wheel when the accident occurred. A case under IPC sections of causing death by negligence and causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others was filed.