Cyclist Dies In Collision During 600 Km Endurance Ride

Around 40 cyclists had started the event, police said. Rao was riding with another participant when the car struck him near a junction. Fellow cyclist Phani Raj, about 300 metres behind, said the accident occurred around 2.35 pm, about 2 km from Pillalamarri on the Suryapet highway.

Raj said the cyclists called 108 immediately. “They came, and I travelled along with him. I spent around three to four hours with him,” he said. Rao was still breathing when Raj reached him, but had suffered severe injuries and heavy bleeding.

Police said he died while undergoing treatment on Sunday evening. A case was first registered as a non‑fatal road accident and was later altered after his death. “It was not a hit‑and‑run, the driver stopped and assisted the victim. The driver also came to the police station voluntarily,” the officer said.

Raj described Rao as a passionate long‑distance cyclist who had taken up cycling about three or four years ago. “He used to call me ‘guru’. I am 50 and he was much older than me,” he said.

Another city cyclist said road design must account for people outside motor vehicles. “We do exist on the road. Roads are built for automobiles, but they should be built for people to walk and also bicycle,” he said, adding, “This is such an awful tragedy.”

Raj said the accident had changed how he viewed cycling records. “Instead of going after a record, it is better to take precautions. Life is more important than what we are trying to achieve,” he said.