Kalladikode (Palakkad): Five people were killed in a collision between a car and a lorry near Ayyappankavu on the Palakkad-Kozhikode National Highway in Kalladikode on Tuesday. The accident happened at 11 pm last night. The car from the Palakkad side collided head-on with a lorry from the opposite direction. The car was stuck under the lorry after the crash.

According to the police, the deceased include K K Vijesh (35), son of Krishnan and Omana from Kongad Mannanthera; Ramesh (31), son of Chidambaran from Veendappara; Vishnu (30), son of Vijayakumar and Janaki from Velliyanthode; and Muhammad Afsal (17), son of Mehamood from Kongad Manikasseri Estate. One person is yet to be identified. Vijesh was an auto driver.

Out of the five people in the car, three died on the spot. Two others were taken to the district hospital but died during treatment in the emergency ward. The bodies have been moved to the Palakkad District Hospital mortuary.

The police believe the car lost control in the heavy rain and crashed into the lorry. The lorry was heading towards Coimbatore. The car was completely wrecked, and the passengers were pulled out by cutting open the vehicle.

Local residents were the first to begin rescue operations. Later, the police, fire department, and highway police arrived. Due to the accident, traffic on the national highway was blocked for over an hour. A crane cleared the vehicles, and traffic was restored.