Three students from Telangana died in a road accident in Florida, US, after the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree on Interstate 95 in Brevard County.
The students were on their way to their part-time job when the accident occurred, according to the report. The crash happened in Palm Bay, Florida. The car went off the highway, struck a roadside tree and caught fire, police said.
One of the victims has been identified as N Rahul, a Navipet native of Telangana’s Nizamabad district. The identities of the other two students had not been officially released in the initial reports.
Nizamabad student Rahul among those killed
Rahul had travelled to the US about three months ago to continue his higher studies. His father Haribabu said Rahul had completed his MS and had enrolled in a PhD programme at the University of South Florida. He was also looking for employment while pursuing his studies.
Rahul's family received the tragic news early Wednesday morning.
His father said Rahul had spoken to his mother just before his friends arrived to pick him up for work. That conversation turned out to be his last call with his family.
The family is now seeking help to bring Rahul’s body back to Telangana so they can perform his last rites. Telugu Association of North America officials are reportedly working with Florida officials to finalize the arrangements for the return of the bodies.
The news has left Rahul's family, relatives and neighbours in Nizamabad numb. He had only moved to the US a couple of months earlier and was looking forward to continuing his education and building his career in the US.
Car veered off Interstate 95 and caught fire
According to preliminary information, the accident happened on Interstate 95 near mile marker 172 in Palm Bay.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported the vehicle, which had been identified as a 2025 Hyundai Elantra, veered off the highway, crashed into a tree, and caught fire.
Two people in the vehicle, the driver and a front seat passenger, died at the scene. Rahul, who was in the rear seat, survived the initial impact, but he was seriously injured. He was taken to a hospital and died there.
The three students had been travelling together to their part-time jobs when the accident took place.
We still don’t know what caused the car to leave the highway. The road conditions and any other factors are not known at this point,” the department said.
The identities of the other two victims were also not officially disclosed in the initial reports.
The tragedy has once again raised the stakes for Indian students going abroad for higher education. Students get part-time jobs while studying to help pay for themselves and get work experience.
For Rahul’s family, however, the focus is now on bringing him home.
His father has appealed to the Telangana and Central governments to assist with the repatriation process. The Telugu Association of North America is also working with the authorities to complete the required procedures.
With more information about the crash and the other two students being discovered, more details about the crash and the other two students are expected to emerge.
For now, three families in Telangana are mourning the loss of young students who had traveled to the United States with hopes of building a better future.
