Five persons were killed in a road accident involving a car and a van at Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district early on Tuesday.
The police said the deceased were tourists from Sivakasi who were returning home in the car after visiting Courtallam.
The accident took place at curve on the Tenkasi-Rajapalayam Road around 12.45 a.m., police said.
They were identified as M. Muthukumar, 27, B. Ayyappan 33, A. Anthonyraj 30, S. Sudalaimani 30 and N. Prabhu 29.
While Prabhu succumbed to head injuries after being referred to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, others died on the spot.
Initial probe suggested that rash driving by the driver of the van, carrying some 17 persons, led to the accident, Rajapalayam Deputy Superintendent of Police, M. Nagasankar, said.
Eight persons, including three women travelling in the van, were injured. They were admitted to the Government Hospital in Rajapalayam.
The people in the van were going back home at Shencottah in Tenkasi district after attending a marriage at Melur in Madurai district.
