Three members of a family and their relative from Salem lost their lives after the SUV they were travelling in collided with a truck on Pollachi – Palladam Road at Negamam in Coimbatore district on Monday.

The police said that K. Dhanapal (37) from Kadayampatti in Salem district, his wife D. Menaga (35), their daughter Kaniska (17) and Menaga’s niece Sneha (23) died in the accident. Dhanapal’s son D. Surjith (12) suffered severe injuries.

According to the police, the accident took place around 1.45 p.m. when the SUV with five persons on board was heading in Palladam direction. The SUV had a head-on collision with a truck in the Pollachi direction, killing Dhanapal, Menaga and Sneha on the spot. The SUV was mangled in the impact of the collision, trapping the passengers.

Kaniska and Surjith were immediately shifted to District Headquarters Hospital in Pollachi and the former was declared brought dead by doctors. Surjith, who suffered multiple injuries, was shifted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital after being given first aid.

The Negamam police secured the truck driver, M. Saravanan (39) of Santhampatti in Krishnagiri district, for alleged negligent driving, resulting in the fatal accident. The bodies of the deceased persons were shifted to Pollachi GH for post-mortem examination. The police have launched an investigation.