The deceased were returning from Courtallam

Five persons were killed in an accident involving a car and a van in Rajapalayam in the small hours of Tuesday. Police said the deceased were from Sivakasi, who were returning in the car after visiting Courtallam.

They were identified as M. Muthukumar (27), B. Ayyappan (33), A. Anthonyraj (30), S. Sudalaimani (30) and N. Prabhu (29).

While Prabhu succumbed to head injuries after he was referred to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, the others were killed on the spot.

The police said the accident took place at a curve on Tenkasi-Rajapalayam Road around 12.45 a.m. In the head-on collision, the front portion of the car was badly damaged and the body of Sudalaimani got stuck in the mangled remains.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel employed a wrecker van and an earthmover to retrieve the body from the car.

“We had to struggle for more than 30 minutes to pull the body out of the car,” said Rajapalayam Station Fire Officer S. Jeyaram. Following the accident, traffic on the busy section was disrupted for more than 30 minutes.

Initial probe suggested that the van, carrying some 17 persons, was driven rashly, Rajapalayam Deputy Superintendent of Police M. Nagasankar said.

Eight persons, including three women, travelling in the van were injured.

They were admitted to Rajapalayam Government Hospital.

The occupants of the van were returning to Shencottah in Tenkasi district after attending a wedding at Melur in Madurai district.