Hruthik Reddy’s family was waiting happily for his return home for the Sankranti festival. Instead, his body will reach home in the new year.
The 25-year-old student from Telangana died in a tragic fire accident in Germany late on Wednesday night. A major fire reportedly broke out at his residence.
While trying to escape the fast-spreading fire and heavy smoke, Hruthik jumped from the upper floor of his apartment in Berlin. He suffered serious head injuries. He was taken to a nearby hospital but sadly died during treatment.
The accident happened on New Year’s Day, turning a time of joy into sorrow for his family.
A deep sense of sadness has spread across his home in Malkapur village in Telangana’s Jangaon district. The family is struggling to accept his sudden and untimely death.
Hruthik had gone to Magdeburg in June 2023 to study for an MS degree at the University of Europe. He had earlier completed his engineering degree in 2022 from Vaagdevi College of Engineering.
He had postponed his holiday during Dasara and planned to visit home in the second week of January to celebrate Sankranti with his family.
German authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. Meanwhile, Hruthik’s family and friends in Telangana have contacted the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Germany to speed up the process of bringing his mortal remains back to his village for last rites.
This tragedy comes at a time when several Telugu students abroad have lost their lives. Last month, a 24-year-old woman from Jangaon district also died in a house fire in the United States.
The victim, Sahaja Reddy Udumala, had moved to the US in 2021 for higher studies and was living in Albany. Reports say the fire started in a nearby building and quickly spread to her home. She was asleep at the time and could not escape.