Pathanamthitta: The couple involved in the tragic car-mini bus collision on the Punalur-Muvattupuzha State Highway were newlyweds, returning home from the airport after celebrating their honeymoon in Malaysia. 

Nikhil and his wife Anu, along with his father Mathew Eapan and father-in-law Biju P George, lost their lives in the accident near Mallassery on Sunday morning. 

The couple got married on November 30 at St. Mary's Malankara Church in Poomkavu. Nikhil was working in the UK, while Anu had completed her MSW studies. The couple had set off for their trip just two days after their wedding.

Initial reports suggest that the car, speeding at the time, crashed into the bus. The primary assumption is that the car driver may have fallen asleep, leading to the accident. The collision happened just seven kilometres away from their home. Biju was driving the car while Mathew Eapan was seated in the front passenger seat. Nikhil and Anu were seated in the back.

Speaking to Mathrubhumi News, the locals who took part in the rescue operations revealed that Anu was alive when she was taken out of the damaged car. However, it took a while before they could take the remaining three passengers in the vehicle. Unfortunately, she succumbed to injuries later at the hospital. Locals also claimed that the incident happened in a notorious accident-prone area, where similar accidents have taken place in the past.