Two women were killed on the spot and four sustained injuries when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned at Vennandur, Tamil Nadu, in the wee hours of Tuesday. The accident occurred when the family of 11 was returning to City from a pilgrimage.

The deceased have been identified as Prema, 48, wife of Appaji Gowda and Pranitha, 37, Gowda’s niece.

Gowda told Deccan Herald that the family left for a pilgrimage in a hired multiutility vehicle on Saturday night and was returning to the City on Monday night after visiting Shani Temple at Tirunallar in Puducherry and other places.

“On Monday night, I suggested the driver to halt for the night as he was also tired driving through the day. But he did not heed to my suggestion and said that he had some work back home and assured us that he could drive. However, tragedy struck within hours,” he added.

Quoting the driver, Gowda said a lorry suddenly took a left turn and in his attempt to avoid hitting it, the MUV crashed into the road median before turning turtle.

Gowda said many of them were thrown out of the windows. “My wife Prema and my niece Pranitha were caught below the vehicle and were killed on the spot,” he said.

He added that not many were injured grievously, except Indrani, 64, the mother of deceased Pranitha, who sustained a fracture of her backbone.

The autopsy was conducted at Rasipuram Government hospital and the bodies were handed over to the family members on Tuesday afternoon. The victims are residents of Banashankari second stage.