MADURAI: Five persons, including four pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, were killed and seven others injured after a speeding car bound for Keelakarai from Ervadi collided with a stationary car near Keelakarai on the East Coast Road (ECR) in Ramanathapuram district, in the wee hours of Saturday.
The deceased victims have been identified as R Bandaru Ramachandra Rao (35), Appavunaidu (34), Bandara Chandru Rao (45) and A Ramu (60) of Marupalli, Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh and S Mushtak Ahamed (34), car driver of North Street, Keelakarai.
While four victims succumbed to injuries on the spot, Ramu was declared dead in the hospital. The injured, including A Sri Ram of Vizianagaram, T Frizhar of Lakshmipuram, Keelakarai, B Thivyan, R Praveen, S Jameel Rahman of Meenkadai Street, Madeswaran of Alavaikaraivadi village and M Harshath of Keelakarai, were rushed to Ramanathapuram Government Medical College Hospital.
Ramanathapuram SP G Chandeesh said that a speeding car bound for Keelakarai from Ervadi collided with a stationary car, in which the Sabarimala pilgrims were asleep. They were on their way to Rameswaram through Kanniyakumari. They parked the car along the ECR and fell asleep inside the car.
The other car, bound for Keelakarai, hit the stationary car, the SP said.
Based on a complaint lodged by Sri Ram, the injured victim, the Keelakarai police have filed a case under Section 106 of BNS.