Won families' approval for their union, couple among deceased

Till a couple of months ago, Nikhil Reddy (30) and N Sriramya (28), who were struggling to get their parents convinced about their love, had finally succeeded in winning their acceptance and were all set to get married in a grand manner the last week of July. However, both died when a blast ripped through a pharmaceutical plant in the Sangareddy district of Telangana on Monday.

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

HYDERABAD:

According to the officials, 143 people were present at a plant of Sigachi Industries at Pashamylaram, around 50 km from Hyderabad, when a powerful explosion took place at 9.20am, triggering a blaze and caving in a three-storey building. According to the update on Tuesday, at least 37 people were killed while 20 still remained untraceable.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislator Kolikapudi Srinivas Rao from Thiruvuru assembly constituency in Krishna district, who played a key role in bringing the families of Nikhil and Sriramya together, said Nikhil, a resident of Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district, had completed his MSc and joined the Sigachi company three years ago.

"Sriramya, from Putrela village in Tiruvuru, also joined the same company after completing her MSc. Their friendship at the workplace gradually turned into love. But their families initially opposed the marriage due to caste differences," he recalled.