Thrissur: Eight youngsters met with a tragic death in a vehicle accident at Panambikkunnu in Kaipamangalam on National Highway 66. The accident occurred around midnight on Friday when a car crashed into a lorry parked on the national highway. Seven of them died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries despite being rushed to hospital. There were eight occupants in the car.
The victims who lost their lives in the fatal collision have been identified as Santhosh G (20), Prasanna R (20), both hailing from Madurai, Viswa V (20), a resident of Salem, Surya I (20), Yuvasanjith K (21) and Joshua (20), all from Dindigul. Identities of two remaining deceased persons are yet to be ascertained.
 

The vehicle involved was a seven-seater car bearing a Madurai registration. The victims are suspected to be students from Tamil Nadu. An identity card belonging to a student of PSNA College of Engineering, Dindigul, was recovered from the crash site. The car was travelling from the Guruvayur side towards Kodungallur. The lorry had been illegally parked in the same direction at a stretch where roadworks were underway.

The young men were retrieved from the vehicle following rescue efforts carried out by locals, the fire brigade and the police. After the arrival of the fire and rescue team, the car had to be cut open to extricate two of the victims. All eight bodies have been taken to the Thrissur Medical College mortuary.