Hyderabad, Dec 29 (IANS) Two female students from Telangana were killed in a road accident in the United States, as per information from their families here.

The students hailing from the Mahabubabad district of Telangana died when a car in which they were travelling plunged into a gorge in California.

The deceased have been identified as Pulakhandam Meghana Rani, 25, and Kadiyala Bhavana, 24.

They had gone to the US in 2023 to pursue a Masters in computers and were on a job hunt after completing their studies.

According to information from their families, the car met with an accident on Alabama Hills road at around 4 p.m. local time on Sunday while they were on a pleasure trip along with their friends. A group of eight friends had gone to California in two cars.

The car, in which Rani and Bhavana were travelling with two others, failed to navigate a curve, veered off the road and plunged into a valley. While Rani and Bhavana died on the spot, two others were injured.

Rani was from Garla village, while Bhavana was from Mulkanoor village in Mahabubabad. Rani’s father, Nageshwara Rao, runs a Mee-Seva centre at Garla, while Bhavana’s father is the deputy sarpanch of Mulkanoor village.

The news of the deaths came as a huge shock to their families. The family members said they were waiting for them to settle down.

Both students had completed an MS from the University of Dayton, Ohio.

The families have urged the Centre, and also the state government, to help in bringing the mortal remains for the last rites.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for the repatriation of Meghana’s remains, as her family is struggling to cover the expenses.

Meghana, fondly known as Chikki, had moved to the US with dreams and a heart full of love. To those who knew her, she was a kind, vibrant soul who always put others first, it said.

“Her sudden departure has left a void in our lives that can never be filled. She was an Indian national, unmarried, and belonged to a lower middle-class family from Garla village, Telangana, India,” the page reads.

“Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us give my sister a dignified farewell and will mean more to us than words can express,” it adds.

–IANS

ms/vd