MADURAI: In a tragic incident, five members of a family were killed and three others seriously injured when their car rammed into a stationary Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus at Pirappanvalasai village near Uchipuli on the Madurai-Rameswaram Highway early on Sunday.

The deceased victims have been identified as Rajesh (33) of Kadaladi, his children – Harshitharani (8), Pranavikarani (4), Senthil Manoharan (70), his father-in-law and Angala Eswari (61), mother-in-law. They were returning to Thangachimadam village in Rameswaram in a hired car after treating the baby for an illness in a private hospital at Ramanathapuram.

Uchipuli Deputy Superintendent of Police Umadevi inspected the spot and held inquiries.

Sources said that some of the bus passengers were said to be drunk and had vomiting sensations.

The bus had to be stopped to help them relieve.

The car which was passing through Pirappanvalasai at high speed rammed into the stationary TNSTC bus from behind.

Based on a complaint, the Uchipuli police have filed a case, sources said.