Pathanamthitta: The funeral of four of a family who were killed in the road accident at Murinjakal in Koodal here will be held on December 19, Thursday. The deceased are Ranni Mallasery natives Nikhil Eapen (29), his wife Anu Biju (28), his father Eapen Mathayi (65) and Anu's father Biju George (51). They met with the tragedy on Sunday after their car collided with a tourist bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh. According to police, drowsy driving and overspeeding led to the accident. It is assumed that the car collided with the bus after Biju fell asleep at the wheel. The three men died on the spot while Anu succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital.

Manorama News reported that the last rites of the family members will be held at 12.30 pm on Thursday at St. Mary's Malankara Syriac Catholic Church, Poonkavu. The funeral ceremony will commence after the public homage at the church. Post-mortem and inquest procedures of the bodies were completed on Sunday. However, both families decided to schedule the funeral on Thursday to confirm the participation of relatives including Nikhil's sister who is working abroad in the ceremony.

Nikhil and Anu, who belonged to the same parish in Ranni, had been in a relationship for eight years before tying the knot at St. Mary's Malankara Syriac Catholic Church in Poonkavu on November 30. They met with the accident while returning home from the airport after their honeymoon in Malaysia. Eapen and Biju reached the airport to take the couple safely from the airport as their flight landed in Thiruvananthapuram airport on Sunday night. But, the joyful ride of the family ended in a tragedy.