Chennai, Dec 15 : Four members of a family, including a newlywed couple, lost their lives when the car they were travelling in collided with a minibus at Murinjikkal in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district.

The tragic accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday and the bus was carrying Sabarimala pilgrims.

The deceased were identified as Mathayi Eappen, Anu, Nikhil, and Biju George, all natives of Mallassery in Konni.

Nikhil and Anu, who had tied the knot on November 30, were returning home from Thiruvananthapuram airport after their honeymoon in Malaysia.

Biju George was Anu's father, while Mathayi Eappen was Nikhil's father. Nikhil worked in Canada and was planning to settle there with Anu, who was preparing to join him.

The accident happened around 4.05 a.m. on the Punalur-Muvattupuzha State Highway. According to police, the car likely collided with the bus carrying pilgrims from Hyderabad after the car's driver fell asleep at the wheel.

Three men in the car died on the spot, while the woman succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Pathanamthitta. A few passengers of the bus, including the driver, sustained minor injuries in the crash.

The locals arrived at the spot first and tried to help the victims. The police and fire force arrived at the scene and used a hydraulic cutter to extricate the four occupants trapped inside the car.

Local residents have raised concerns about the increasing number of accidents on this stretch of the Punalur-Muvattupuzha highway following its recent reconstruction.

Kurien Joseph, a local Congress leader, expressed his condolences. He said, 'The marriage of Anu and Nikhil was solemnised on November 30 after an eight-year-long love affair. This tragedy struck just seven kilometres from their home.'

The two families were in a state of shock as neighbours and their relatives tried to console them.

The police said they were investigating the accident.

/IANS