Three members of a Hyderabad family, including a woman and her two children, were killed in a road accident in California, US, while the woman's husband and younger daughter sustained critical injuries, family members said on Tuesday.

The victims have been identified as Nazia Salma (45), her 19-year-old daughter Hafeza Neha Shaikh, and 14-year-old son Hafez Omer, all residents of Vani Nagar in Saidabad, Hyderabad. The accident occurred in California in the early hours of Tuesday when the family's vehicle collided with another car.

According to the family, the driver of the other vehicle also died in the crash.

Nazia's husband, Shaik Abdul Naveed, survived the accident along with the couple's young daughter, Khatija Shaikh. Both sustained serious injuries and are undergoing treatment at a hospital in California. Their condition is reported to be critical.

Abdul Naveed, originally from Hyderabad's Old City, moved to the United States nearly 19 years ago in pursuit of a career and eventually settled there with his family. He is currently working as a scientist in the US.

The family of five had been travelling together when the accident took place.

FAMILY LEARNT ABOUT TRAGEDY FROM US POLICE

Back home in Hyderabad, the family first sensed that something was wrong after repeated attempts to contact Abdul Naveed went unanswered.

His father, Shaik Abdul Sayeed, said they kept calling his son's phone throughout Tuesday morning but received no response.

"After some time, the local police answered the phone and informed us about the accident. We were told that the car they were travelling in collided with another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle also died in the crash," he said.

The accident has cast a pall of gloom over Vani Nagar in Saidabad, where relatives, neighbours and friends have gathered to console the bereaved family.

Abdul Naveed's father has appealed to both the Union and Telangana governments to extend immediate assistance. The family has requested authorities to facilitate the travel of close relatives to California so they can be with the injured survivors during their treatment.

They have also urged the governments to help preserve the bodies of the deceased until family members are able to reach the United States and complete the necessary formalities before bringing them back to Hyderabad for their final rites.

- Ends

Published By:

Satyam Singh

Published On:

Jul 21, 2026 20:59 IST