3 students from Telangana killed in Florida road accident - The Indian Express

**Three Students from Telangana Killed in Florida Road Accident**

*Florida, United States* – On Saturday evening, a three‑vehicle collision on Interstate 75 near Tampa, Florida, claimed the lives of three Indian students from the state of Telangana. The victims, identified as 21‑year‑old **Siddharth Reddy** of Hyderabad, 20‑year‑old **Lakshmi Narayana** of Warangal, and 22‑year‑old **Karan Kumar** of Nizamabad, were traveling together in a rented sedan when the driver lost control after a sudden gust of wind, causing the vehicle to swerve into the opposite lane and strike an oncoming truck. First‑responders pronounced all three occupants dead at the scene, and the Florida Highway Patrol opened a formal investigation into the cause of the crash.

Family members and friends in Telangana have been left in shock, with relatives gathering at the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., to seek consular assistance. The embassy confirmed that it is providing counseling services and coordinating with local authorities to repatriate the bodies. “Our hearts are broken,” said **Dr. Ananya Reddy**, a professor at the University of Hyderabad who mentored the students. “They were bright, ambitious scholars who had just begun their graduate research in the United States.” The students had been enrolled at a Florida university on scholarships awarded by the Telangana State Scholarship Board, and their tragic deaths have prompted an outpouring of condolences from political leaders in Hyderabad and the state’s education department.

The incident underscores the broader safety concerns faced by Indian students studying abroad. According to data from the Ministry of External Affairs, more than 1 million Indian nationals reside in the United States, with a sizable proportion enrolled in higher‑education programs. The Indian Embassy in Washington has reiterated its advisory for Indian students to exercise caution while driving, to use reputable transportation services, and to stay informed about local traffic regulations. Florida authorities have pledged to release the investigation report within the next two weeks, and the Telangana government has announced a financial assistance package for the victims’ families.