VISAKHAPATNAM: A software professional from Andhra Pradesh drowned in the Meramec river in Missouri, US, while celebrating his birthday with friends at Meramec State Park near Sullivan on Saturday.Singireddy Sai Sree Hari Krishna (26), from Piridi in Bobbili mandal of Vizianagaram district, and his friends checked into a resort on Saturday. He entered the river for a swim and got trapped in underwater weeds that pulled him down, officials said on Sunday. He struggled, went under and did not resurface. Crews from the Sullivan fire department later pulled out the body, Missouri state highway patrol said.Hari Krishna 2nd AP youth to drown in US within 2 monthsHari Krishna moved to the US in 2023 after completing BTech from a private college in Vizianagaram. He did his master’s in engineering in the US and landed himself a job at Elessent Clean Technologies in St Louis, about 130km from Sullivan, a few months ago.Youngest of three siblings, he is survived by two married sisters and his parents – auto-rickshaw driver Srinivasa Rao and primary health centre employee Ramadevi. Residents of Piridi said Hari Krishna had made a phone call to his parents a few days ago, promising to send them money to buy a small plot and build a house in the village. “He said he would help his parents get land soon,” a relative said. News of his death left family, friends and villagers in shock. The family approached the local MLA and minister requesting them to repatriate Hari Krishna’s body from the US. Earlier, in Aug 2024, Rupak Reddy Padini (25) from Ichchapuram in Srikakulam drowned in Lake George, New York, while on vacation with friends. He was studying at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, and was taking photographs when he fell into the water.
