Art director Anand Sai's son arrested in Hyderabad hit-and-run that killed pedestrian
Synopsis
Hyderabad has seen its second VIP-linked hit-and-run in under a month — this time, the son of art director Anand Sai, a reported associate of Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan and a TTD Board member, has been arrested after a Mahindra XUV electric car allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian near the Outer Ring Road at 4.15 am. The pattern is raising uncomfortable questions about road safety and equal accountability in the city.
Key Takeaways
Sandeep , son of art director Anand Sai , was arrested by Cyberabad Police on 1 September in a hit-and-run case in Raidurgam, Hyderabad .
Pedestrian Nandulal , aged approximately 30–35 , died on the spot after being struck by an allegedly speeding Mahindra XUV electric car at around 4.15 am .
Innova driver Zaid Shah Qadri , 21 , sustained a right-leg fracture and was hospitalised in Gachibowli .
Anand Sai is reportedly a close associate of AP Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan and a member of the TTD Board .
This is the second VIP-linked hit-and-run in Hyderabad in under a month; the earlier case involves Lingamaneni Sanjush , son of Jana Sena MP Lingamaneni Ramesh , in the 16 August Madhapur incident.
Cyberabad Police on Tuesday, 1 September arrested Sandeep, son of art director Anand Sai, in connection with a hit-and-run incident near the Outer Ring Road (ORR) Rotary in Raidurgam, Hyderabad, that claimed the life of a pedestrian in the early hours of Monday. The case has drawn sharp public attention given Anand Sai's reported proximity to prominent political and religious establishments in Andhra Pradesh.
How the Incident Unfolded
According to police, a pedestrian identified as Nandulal, aged approximately 30–35 years, was crossing the road towards Ankura Hospital at around 4.15 am when he was struck by an Innova Crysta, allegedly driven rashly from Nanakramguda ORR Rotary towards Khajaguda village. The Innova driver, Zaid Shah Qadri, 21, and another person then attempted to shift the injured Nandulal to hospital.
While this was underway, a Mahindra XUV electric car — allegedly travelling at high speed from Khajaguda towards Nanakramguda ORR Rotary — struck both the injured pedestrian and Qadri before fleeing the scene. Nandulal sustained severe injuries and died on the spot. Qadri suffered a fracture to his right leg and multiple other injuries and was hospitalised in Gachibowli.
Accused Identified and Arrested
Investigators traced the fleeing Mahindra XUV electric car and identified its driver as Sandeep, son of Anand Sai. A case has been registered at Raidurgam Police Station, and the vehicle has been seized. Police confirmed that further investigation is ongoing.
Who Is Anand Sai
Anand Sai is reportedly a close associate of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan. He is widely recognised for designing the Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple and serves as a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board.
Second VIP-Linked Hit-and-Run in Hyderabad Within a Month
This is the second incident in under a month in Hyderabad involving the son of a prominent public figure. On 16 August, Lingamaneni Sanjush — son of Rajya Sabha MP Lingamaneni Ramesh of the Jana Sena Party — allegedly ran over Bharathi Mukhi, a 26-year-old sales executive, near Inorbit Mall in Madhapur, killing her. Sanjush was booked but not immediately arrested, drawing public criticism.
Cyberabad Police, defending the decision, stated that it was 'incorrect and unwarranted' to allege that the delay was due to external influence, adding that the decision was based on 'legal requirements governing arrest, the circumstances of the case, and the material available during the investigation at that stage.' MP Lingamaneni Ramesh said on 22 August that his son had cooperated with police, shifted the victim to hospital immediately, reported the accident, and tested negative in three separate medical examinations.
The back-to-back incidents involving VIP-linked accused have intensified scrutiny over whether Hyderabad's road safety enforcement and post-accident accountability mechanisms apply equally, regardless of social standing.
Point of View
Both involving sons of well-connected public figures, is not coincidence — it is a pattern that demands scrutiny. The Cyberabad Police's defence of its delayed arrest in the Sanjush case may be legally defensible, but it has eroded public trust at precisely the moment when equal enforcement is most visible. Anand Sai's ties to the TTD Board and to Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan will inevitably colour public perception of how swiftly this case moves to trial. The real test is not the arrest — it is the conviction rate and sentencing, where VIP-adjacent cases in India have a troubling history of stalling.
NationPress
2 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sandeep and why was he arrested in Hyderabad?
Sandeep is the son of art director Anand Sai. He was arrested by Cyberabad Police on 1 September in connection with a hit-and-run incident near the Outer Ring Road Rotary in Raidurgam, Hyderabad, in which a pedestrian named Nandulal was killed in the early hours of Monday.
What exactly happened in the Raidurgam hit-and-run?
At around 4.15 am on Monday, pedestrian Nandulal was first struck by an Innova Crysta near Nanakramguda ORR Rotary. While the Innova driver and another person were shifting him to hospital, a Mahindra XUV electric car — allegedly driven by Sandeep — hit the injured Nandulal and the Innova driver at high speed before fleeing. Nandulal died on the spot; the Innova driver, Zaid Shah Qadri, was hospitalised with a fractured leg.
Who is art director Anand Sai?
Anand Sai is an art director reportedly known as a close associate of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. He is recognised for designing the Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple and serves as a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board.
Is this the first such VIP-linked hit-and-run in Hyderabad recently?
No. This is the second such incident in under a month. On 16 August, Lingamaneni Sanjush — son of Jana Sena Rajya Sabha MP Lingamaneni Ramesh — allegedly ran over and killed 26-year-old sales executive Bharathi Mukhi near Inorbit Mall in Madhapur. Cyberabad Police faced public criticism for not immediately arresting Sanjush.
What is the current status of the investigation?
Sandeep has been arrested and a case registered at Raidurgam Police Station. The Mahindra XUV electric car involved in the incident has been seized. Police have confirmed that further investigation is ongoing.
