Two Telangana women, roommates in US, die in California car crash; families seek donations for funeral

• Two Telangana women died in a car accident in California during a holiday trip
• Families seek help to bring bodies home and cover funeral expenses
• Online fundraising campaigns launched for funeral costs

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Two young women from Telangana's Mahabubabad district were killed in a road accident in California, United States. The victims, Kadiyala Bhavana and P Meghana Rani, were both 24 years old and had moved to the US over two years ago to pursue higher studies.

The two friends had completed their B.Tech degrees in Telangana before going to the US for their Master’s studies. After finishing their courses recently, they stayed back in the country to look for jobs. They were living together in Dayton, Ohio, and had travelled to California for a holiday trip during Christmas.

The accident took place on Sunday evening when their car fell into a deep gorge near the Alabama Hills in California. Both women died on the spot, The Indian Express reported.

Bhavana was from Mulkanoor village, while Meghana Rani hailed from Garla village, both located in Mahabubabad district of Telangana.

Back in India, the families received the tragic news on Monday afternoon. Sagar Babu, a relative of Bhavana, said the family got a call around 3 pm. “Bhavana’s elder sister Bharati, who also lives in the US, was first informed by local authorities. She then informed the family in Telangana,” he said.

Bhavana’s father, K Koteshwara Rao, was recently elected as deputy sarpanch in local body elections and had taken oath on December 22. “The entire family is shattered. Her mother is unable to come to terms with the loss,” Sagar said.

Relatives described Bhavana and Meghana as bright, cheerful and ambitious young women who shared a close bond. “They were very lively and had big dreams. They wanted to build a future for themselves in the US,” Sagar added.

Meghana Rani’s father, Pullakhandam Nageshwara Rao, runs a Mee Seva centre in Garla village. His cousin, G Guptha, said Meghana was the pride of her family. “Both girls were stars in their homes. Their deaths have left a huge void,” he said.

Families seek help to conduct last rites

Apart from emotional pain, the families are also facing financial challenges in bringing the bodies back to India and performing the last rites. They have appealed to government authorities for assistance and have also started online fundraising campaigns.

In a GoFundMe page set up for Meghana Rani, her family described her as a kind and caring person who always put others first. They said the sudden loss has left them emotionally and financially broken, as they are unable to bear the funeral expenses on their own.

“We humbly request your support during this extremely difficult time. Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us give my sister a dignified farewell,” the message said.

A similar appeal was made by Bhavana’s family, who said they are seeking help to cover funeral and related expenses. “Any contribution or sharing of this message would mean a lot to us,” the family wrote.