JOIN USThey cancelled their train tickets to go by SUV
Fate had a different destination in store for Venkateshappa and his family members, who were killed in an accident near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.
The family had initially planned to travel by train, but at the last moment, cancelled the train tickets and decided to go in their four-wheeler to visit religious places in Andhra Pradesh.
Those killed in the accident include Venkateshappa, 65, a resident of Deewanarapalya and the owner of Ganesh Bar and Restaurant in RMC Yard; his daughter-in-law Renuka 35, her daughters –– Hamsaveni, 18, a BCom student at Maharani Ammanni College, Pallavi, 15, a class nine student, and Chandana, 11, a class six student; Nagaraj, 45, a relative of Venkateshappa, his wife Prema, 38, their daughter, Navya, 18, a BBM student at a Whitefield college; car driver Kumar, 25, and Ramu, 28, a worker at Venkateshappa’s bar.
Nagaraj, one of the three sons of Venkateshappa, his wife, daughters and another relative Sarojamma opted out of the trip at the last minute due to emergency work.
Venkateshappa’s relative Nagaraj, a resident of Adugodi and a businessman, usually organised trips to religious places every year.
He organised the trip this year too and booked 15 train tickets to Hyderabad.
However, he cancelled the tickets after five persons opted out and the number was reduced to 10.
The family then decided to travel by their own four-wheeler. They would have survived the tragedy had they travelled by train, Kiran, a family member, told Deccan Herald.
They left Bangalore on Friday and reached Hyderabad on Saturday and stayed with Varun, one of Venkateshappa’s relatives, who is working as an engineer in Hyderabad.
Towards Mahanandi
They visited various places in Hyderabad on Sunday and Monday, and reached Sreesailam on Monday night. After visiting the temple on Tuesday morning, they proceeded towards Mahanandi.
The accident took place when a lorry coming from the opposite direction near Athmakur, took a deviation and rammed into their vehicle head on, killing all of them on the spot.
As per their planned trip, they were to visit Mantralaya and then return to Bangalore.
Post mortems were conducted at Kurnool district hospital and the bodies were handed over to the relatives on Wednesday. Venkateshappa and his sons were staying in a three-storey residential building.
Venkateshappa hailed from Javaregowdanapalya near Gubbi in Tumkur district. The cremation will take place at Javaregowdanapalya on Thursday.