They have been identified as Umesh (27), Prabhu (30) and Arun (25), all residents of Chandra Layout in Bangalore.

Umesh is a software engineer who had returned from the US last week. Prabhu was a lawyer and Arun an employee of a private firm.

The front portion of the car was completely destroyed.

Anand (25), an employee of a private firm, has sustained multiple fractures. He has been admitted to a hospital. His condition is said to be critical.

Dakshinamurthy (26), a manager at ICFAI, Bangalore, escaped with minor injuries. All the occupants of the car were allegedly drunk. According to the police, Umesh  was driving the car.

Alcohol bottles and food were strewn all around the accident spot.

Tragic beginning
A shadow of gloom enveloped Chandra Layout on Monday with the news of the death. For family members and friends, it was hard to come to terms with the news.

Kemparaju, a close friend of the three deceased, said he had spoken to Umesh a few hours before the accident. Umesh told him he was going to Srirangapatna to greet his relatives and present them with gifts he had bought from the US.

“Umesh had returned from America last week and was eager to visit his cousins at Srirangapatana. It is unfortunate he has to meet with such a tragic end,” said Kemparaju.

Subbanna, Umesh’s cousin, said the deceased was eager to meet him ever since he landed in India and had spoken to him over phone saying he would visit him at Srirangapatna. “They were heading for Madikeri for the New Year,” said Subbanna, who accompanied the bodies to Bangalore.

The body of Prabhu was taken by his parents, to his native place in Belguam, for the final rites.

The bodies of Arun and Umesh were cremated on Monday night.