Uncle Dies After Nephew Steps on Accelerator Instead of Brake During New Car Puja

HYDERABAD: What was meant to be a celebratory ritual turned into tragic loss after a 70-year-old man was killed when his nephew accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake during a car-blessing ceremony (puja) at Peddamma Temple in Jubilee Hills. The victim succumbed to severe injuries while undergoing treatment at a city hospital.

The deceased was identified as Tummalapalli Ramchandra Rao, a resident of Penugonda mandal in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. According to police, Rao and his wife, Ganga Bhavani, had traveled to Hyderabad for medical check-ups and were staying with their nephew, Sai Kumar, in Miyapur.

To bless Sai Kumar’s newly purchased car, the family traveled to the popular Peddamma Temple in Jubilee Hills. During the blessing ceremony, the temple priest reportedly asked Sai Kumar to move the vehicle slightly forward. As Sai Kumar got behind the wheel, he accidentally pressed the accelerator pedal instead of applying the brakes. The vehicle lurched forward suddenly, striking Ramchandra Rao, who was standing directly in front of the car.

The impact left Rao with critical internal and external injuries. Panicked family members immediately rushed him to AIG Hospitals in Gachibowli in an auto-rickshaw for emergency medical care. Despite intensive care efforts, doctors confirmed that Rao passed away from his injuries. The Jubilee Hills police have registered a case regarding the incident and initiated an investigation. Authorities are reviewing local CCTV footage from the temple complex to confirm the exact sequence of events.