Hyderabad, Jan 8 : Birthday celebrations turned tragic as four students were killed and another critically injured when an SUV in which they were travelling rammed into a tree near Hyderabad early Thursday, police said.

The accident occurred near Mirzapur in Mokila of Rangareddy district.

According to police, the group of students were returning to Hyderabad from Mokila following birthday celebrations of one of the deceased.

Three of the deceased were students of BBA at ICFAI Business School (IBS) at Mokila, while the fourth student was studying at MGIT.

The deceased have been identified as Surya Teja (20), Sri Nikhil (20), Rohit (18) and Sumeet (20). According to police, Sumeet was driving the SUV. It was his birthday.

Sumeet and Nikhil were third-year BBA students at ICFAI Business School, while Surya Teja was in the second year. Rohit was a student of MGIT.

The vehicle rammed into the tree at high speed. Four occupants died on the spot, while the fifth sustained grievous injuries. The injured has been identified as Nakshatra, a third-year student of BBA at ICFAI Business School. The 20-year-old was admitted to a hospital, and her condition is stated to be critical.

The SUV was badly mangled in the collision. Police were trying to ascertain if the person at the wheel was drunk at the time of the accident.

The bodies were shifted to a government hospital at Chevella for post-mortem examination. Police registered a case and took up further investigation.

Hyderabad and its suburbs have seen similar accidents in the recent past when students out for a pleasure trip or birthday celebrations rammed their cars into other vehicles or roadside trees, or electrical poles.

Police in Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates have been conducting an intensive drive to check drunk driving, especially during night hours.

/IANS