5 killed as bike collides with van near Tuticorin

Tuticorin: A two-wheeler carrying five people collided with a tourist van near Vilathikulam in Tuticorin on Sunday evening, killing all five, including two boys aged five and three.The deceased were identified as Gurusamy, 40, his sister Muthulakshmi, 48, two nephews, Mukil Arasan, 5, and Sumithran, 3, and Mary, 52, who was employed by Gurusamy to take care of his children. Chief minister M K Stalin while expressing his condolences, announced a compensation of Rs3 lakh each to the family members of the deceased.According to police, the five were travelling from Kulathur to Pallakulam on the two-wheeler. As they were nearing Vaippar on East Coast Road around 5pm, a tourist van coming from Sayalkudi in Ramanathapuram district towards Tuticorin collided head-on with the two-wheeler.The impact of the collision was such that all five occupants of the two-wheeler sustained fatal injuries and died on the spot. Kulathur police sent the bodies to Tuticorin Government Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Police have registered a case, and further investigation is underway.