Turning back for water bottle proved costly for Harikrishna

Slightly turning back for a water bottle while driving the car at a high speed is believed to have cost NTR's son Nandamuri Harkrishna his life in the road accident in Telangana's Nalgonda district on Wednesday.

The senior TDP leader failed to notice a slight turn as he had moved back to get the drinking water bottle from the person on the rear seat. By the time he realized the turn and tried to veer the vehicle, it hit the median and was thrown into the air before ramming into another vehicle coming from the opposite direction, police said.

Nalgonda Superintendent of Police A. V. Ranganath termed the accident as the classic case of human error.

The former MP was driving the SUV, Toyota Fortuner, at a speed of 160 km per hour against the maximum speed limit of 80 km on Addanki-Narketpalli road.

The official quoted eye witnesses as saying that after hitting the median the vehicle tossed 20 feet into the air and was dragged up to 20 meters before crashing into the car coming from the opposite direction.

Harikrishna, who was not wearing the seat belt, was thrown out of the vehicle and fell 25-30 meters away. If he was wearing the seat belt, the air bags would have opened, acting as the shock absorber, police said.

Though two others travelling with Harikrishna were also not wearing seat belts, they escaped with minor injuries.

The police official said that there is a minor error in road engineering as it has a slight turn.

He sustained grievous head injuries and was not breathing when he was rushed to Kamineni Hospital at Narketpally. Though doctors tried cardiopulmonary resuscitation, he did not respond.

--IANS

ms/mr