Hyderabad: Six members of an NRI family from Andhra Pradesh's Amalapuram - they were relatives of a lawmaker from the state's ruling YSR Congress Party - were killed in a traffic accident in Texas in the United States.
The incident occurred in Johnson County on December 26, the day after Christmas, turning a time of joy into one of tragedy.
Those killed were visiting the home of another relative and had gone to the local zoo in the morning. On the way back home, their vehicle, a minivan, was hit by a pickup truck carrying two young people.
Initial reports suggest the pickup was driving the wrong way.
Miraculously one person - Lokesh - survived but is in hospital, and is in critical condition. The two driving the pickup are also in hospital.
The injured were airlifted to medical facilities, US media reported.
"My uncle spent Christmas visiting a relative's home. On December 26, they went to the zoo in the morning and left at 4 pm (local time). Their car was struck by a truck carrying two young people who were traveling the wrong way," the MLA Ponnada Venkata Satish Kumar said.
"The truck was found to be at fault by the local police."
Mr Kumar, the MLA from Andhra Pradesh's Mummidivaram seat, also said, "We are attempting to have the bodies returned... since Lokesh is still receiving treatment, his agreement is required for two of them, who are American citizens by birth."
The dead have been identified as P Nageswara Rao, the MLA's uncle, Seetha Mahalakshmi, Naveena, Kruthik, and a young girl called Nishitha. The sixth, also a family member, has not yet been named.
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