Anantapur car crash kills 2 women; families allege foul play by male companions
Synopsis
Two 20-year-old women died in a car crash in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh — but their families are not buying the accident theory. With both male companions escaping with minor injuries while both women perished, the families allege murder staged as a road mishap. The post-mortem report and CCTV footage now hold the key to whether this is a tragedy or a crime.
Key Takeaways
Haritha (20) and Navanitha (20) died after a car crashed into a roadside hotel near Rotarypuram, Anantapur district , in the early hours of Tuesday, 16 September .
The vehicle was driven by Sridhar Reddy , an insurance agent; Kumar , a hospital worker, was also in the car — both survived with minor injuries.
Families of the deceased have alleged the men lured the women, murdered them, and staged the crash as an accident.
Police have registered a case and are analysing CCTV footage from the area.
The post-mortem examination report is expected to be pivotal in determining the cause of death.
Two young women, Haritha (20) and Navanitha (20), died after a car they were travelling in crashed into a roadside hotel near Rotarypuram in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district in the early hours of Tuesday, 16 September. The families of both women have alleged that their male companions murdered them and staged the crash to make it appear accidental — a claim police are now investigating.
What Happened That Night
All four individuals — Haritha, Navanitha, Kumar (who worked at the hospital where Navanitha was employed), and Sridhar Reddy (an insurance agent and regular visitor to the same hospital) — left together in a car on Monday night. According to police, the group visited Korrapadu, SRIT College, and surrounding areas before heading back toward Anantapur at around 4 am on Tuesday.
Sridhar Reddy, who was at the wheel, reportedly lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into a roadside hotel near Rotarypuram in the Bukkarayasamudram mandal, where a bridge was under construction at the time. Haritha, seated in the rear, died at the scene. Navanitha, along with the two male occupants, was rushed to hospital, where Navanitha later succumbed to her injuries.
Families Allege Murder, Not Accident
The families of both deceased women have publicly alleged that the two men lured the women into the vehicle, killed them, and engineered the crash as a cover. A key detail fuelling their suspicion: Kumar and Sridhar Reddy survived with what police described as simple injuries, while both women died.
Salamma, Haritha's mother, said she had previously warned her daughter to exercise caution around the men and not to place her trust in them. Vijaya, Navanitha's mother, alleged that her daughter had been misled into joining the group and demanded stringent punishment for the survivors.
Police Response and Investigation
Police have registered a case on the basis of complaints filed by the families of the deceased. Investigators are currently analysing CCTV footage from the area to reconstruct the sequence of events. A police officer confirmed the footage review is underway, though no arrests have been reported at this stage.
The post-mortem examination report is expected to be a critical piece of evidence in determining whether the deaths resulted from the crash alone or involved prior foul play. Authorities have not yet ruled out either possibility.
Background on the Victims
Haritha was a third-year nursing student at a college in Anantapur. Navanitha was working as a nurse at a private hospital in the same city. The two had been friends for approximately two years. Both men were connected to the hospital — Kumar as a staff member and Sridhar Reddy as a frequent visitor in his capacity as an insurance agent.
What Comes Next
The outcome of the post-mortem and CCTV analysis will likely determine whether police escalate the case from a road accident to a homicide investigation. The families have made clear they expect a thorough and transparent inquiry, with accountability for the surviving men if evidence supports their allegations.
Point of View
But it reflects a broader and troubling pattern in how road crash fatalities involving mixed-gender groups are perceived and investigated in India. The disparity in survival outcomes (both women dead, both men with minor injuries) is the kind of detail that demands rigorous forensic scrutiny rather than a quick closure as an accident case. Police reliance on CCTV and post-mortem findings is the right instinct; the risk is that without sustained public and institutional pressure, such cases can be prematurely filed as accidents. The credibility of the investigation will hinge on whether forensic evidence is independently verified and the findings made transparent to the families.
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Anantapur car crash on 16 September?
A car carrying four people — two young women and two men — crashed into a roadside hotel near Rotarypuram in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, at around 4 am on Tuesday, 16 September. Both women, Haritha (20) and Navanitha (20), died; the two male occupants survived with minor injuries.
Why are the families alleging foul play?
The families allege that the two men lured the women into the car, murdered them, and staged the crash to conceal the crime. Their primary suspicion stems from the fact that both women died while both men sustained only minor injuries in the same crash.
Who were the victims and how did they know the men?
Haritha was a third-year nursing student in Anantapur, and Navanitha was a nurse at a private hospital. Kumar worked at the same hospital as Navanitha, while Sridhar Reddy was an insurance agent who regularly visited the hospital. All four had been acquainted through the hospital.
What action have police taken so far?
Police have registered a case on the complaints of the victims' families and launched an investigation. They are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area. No arrests have been reported at this stage.
What will determine whether this is treated as an accident or a murder case?
The post-mortem examination report is expected to be the most critical piece of evidence. Combined with CCTV footage analysis, it will help investigators determine whether the deaths resulted solely from the crash or whether foul play was involved prior to or during the incident.
