Actor and Telugu Desam Party leader Nandamuri Harikrishna died of injuries after he met with an accident in Telangana’s Nalgonda district early on Wednesday, ANI reported.
Harikrishna was driving to Kavali in Nellore district when the car crashed into a road median on Nalgonda Highway. As the car hit the median, it also collided with another vehicle coming from the opposite direction, before overturning, reported The News Minute. Harikrishna was thrown out of the driver’s seat and fell on the road, suffering severe injuries to his head.
According to Nalgonda superintendent of police AV Ranganath, Harikrishna was declared dead at the Kamineni hospital in Narketpalli after he was taken there in a critical condition, reported The Times of India.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu condoled the death of Harikrishna. “As a popular actor, he has entertained the Telugu audience,” Venakaiah Naidu tweeted. “As a parliamentarian, he was very upright and expressed his opinions frankly.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said Harikrishna’s death was a huge loss to the family and the party, reported NDTV. He also recalled that former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao was very fond of him and picked him to drive the ‘Chaitanya Ratham’ during Rao’s election campaign across Andhra Pradesh in the 1980s.
“Beginning as a child artist, Harikrishna donned many roles in Telugu movies and endeared himself to people,” Chandrababu Naidu said. “As a political leader too, he rendered commendable services,” he said.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao recalled the services of Harikrishna in politics and cinema, according to PTI.
The Telugu Desam Party said Harikrishna will be “remembered for his fiery speeches, work in the public sphere and immense contribution towards strengthening the party”.
“Shocked at the sudden demise of Nandamuri Harikrishna,” said Jagan Mohan Reddy, leader of Opposition in the state Assembly.
Harikrishna was the son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and founder of Telugu Desam Party NT Rama Rao and brother-in-law of Chandrababu Naidu. He was an MLA from Hindupur and a Rajya Sabha member twice till 2015.
Harikrishna’s son is popular Telugu film actor Jr NTR, while another son Kalyan Ram is an actor and producer. Harikrishna’s third son Janakiram was a film producer who died in a road accident in 2014 in Nalgonda.
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