Five persons from a single family were killed on the spot after the car in which they were travelling fell into the Ghataprabha left bank canal near Shivapur village of Savadatti taluk late on Monday night.

Police said the family was returning to Kadabi village in Savadatti after attending the funeral of a relative. Near Shivapur, the driver lost control of the vehicle and it fell into the roadside canal. The driver, identified as Adiveppa Malagi, swam to safety.

The police, with the help of local residents, the state disaster team and fire services recovered the bodies of Paravva Pujeri (45), Lagmanna Pujeri (38) and Laxmi Pujeri (35) and sent them to the government hospital at Yargatti for post mortem. Efforts are on to trace the bodies of Fakiravva Pujeri (29) and Hanumant Pujeri (60). The car was lifted out of the canal using a crane. The Murgod police have registered a case.