A heart-wrenching road accident in the United States has claimed the lives of a non-resident Indian (NRI) couple from Andhra Pradesh and left their two children seriously injured. The tragedy occurred in Maryland early on Monday when a drunk driver, operating his truck in the wrong direction, collided head-on with the family's vehicle.
Details of the Maryland Tragedy
The deceased have been identified as Kotikalapudi Krishna Kishore (45) and his wife Asha Kanna (40). The couple hailed from Palakollu in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. Their son, Suchai, and daughter, Shivani, sustained serious injuries in the crash. The children are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Maryland and are reportedly out of danger.
Krishna Kishore had been working as a software engineer in the US for more than ten years. In a poignant twist, the family had just visited their hometown in India, returning only recently. They had spent time with Kishore's parents in Palakollu and even celebrated the New Year in Dubai during their journey back to the United States, merely ten days before the fatal accident.
Community Mobilises Support
In the wake of the disaster, the Telugu Association of North America (TANA) and local community volunteers have stepped forward to provide crucial assistance. Their efforts are focused on two fronts: coordinating support for the recovery of the injured children and facilitating the transportation of the couple's mortal remains back to India for the final rites.
This incident adds to a growing list of fatal accidents involving members of the Telugu community in the US in recent months, raising concerns about road safety for Indian students and professionals abroad.
A Pattern of Tragic Accidents
This is not an isolated incident. The community has been shaken by several similar tragedies:
- In December 2025, two students from Telangana, who were pursuing their Masters in the US, died when their car lost control on a sharp curve and plunged into a valley during a sightseeing trip to the Alabama Hills.
- In July last year, a family of four from Hyderabad—Venkat, his wife Tejaswini, and their children Siddarth and Mrida—were killed in Texas when a mini-truck crashed into their SUV head-on.
These consecutive tragedies highlight the vulnerabilities faced by the Indian diaspora on foreign roads and underscore the devastating consequences of reckless driving, particularly drunk driving.
