Four Sabarimala pilgrims died early on Monday after their car, reportedly travelling at high speed, crashed into a flyover barrier and fell into an underpass in Karnataka’s Kolar district, police said.

The accident occurred between 2.15 am and 2.30 am at Abbenahalli village in Malur taluk. According to police, the victims—all friends—were en route to Sabarimala in Kerala when the vehicle struck the side barrier of the flyover.

A senior police officer, citing preliminary findings, said the driver was believed to have been overspeeding at the time of the crash. The impact was so severe that the car, with all four men inside, plunged nearly 100 metres into the underpass below, killing them instantly.

Police said the bodies will be handed over to the families following post-mortem procedures.

The incident comes just a week after around 37 Lord Ayyappa devotees were injured when an omni bus travelling from Bengaluru to Kerala rammed into the rear of a lorry near Perumanallur in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur district. Police in Perumanallur responded swiftly and carried out rescue operations.