CHENNAI: Six people were killed as their car plunged into a pit near Tindivanam in Tamil Nadu on wee hours of Thursday.
The victims were identified as C Murugan, (40) his wife Malar, (35) C Murugaraj, (38) C Sri Murugan, the car driver and one minor.
Two other children were also onboard the vehicle and suffered serious injuries but survived.
According to a police official source, the driver lost control of the vehicle at Pathiri village, near Tindivanam in Villupuram district and plunged into a roadside pit but due to the coronavirus induced lockdown and lack of visibility, residents found the toppled vehicle much later, after which, they informed the Tindivanam police station.
Policemen then rushed to the spot and found that six people, including the driver, had died.
The two children who survived were then taken to a government hospital in Tindivanam and later shifted to government Villupuram medical college hospital for further treatment.
Bodies of others were also sent to the same hospital for conducting their autopsies.
Police suspect that that driver must have fallen asleep and then lost control of the vehicle, which led to the mishap.
A case has been filed and further investigation is underway, a police official source said.
Villupuram district superintendent of police S Radhakrishnan, Tindivanam DSP Kanageswari also visited the spot and inquired about the incident.