Five persons were killed on the spot and three others sustained serious injuries in a head-on collision between a Bolero and a lorry on Sankeshwar-Jewargi Road near Kerurvadi village in Chikodi taluk of the district on Wednesday evening.

According to the police, Ramesh Pujari, a resident of Ramateerth, Ajit Teerth and Ajit Huddar of Shirahatti in Athani taluk, B R Patil of Yankachi were killed on the spot while Shivanand Khot, a resident of Radderhatti died en route to District Hospital.

Virupakashi Wali of Avarkod and Shridhar Jadhav of Savalagi in Athani suffered grievous injuries and have been admitted to the government hospital in Chikkodi. The condition of the duo is critical police said.

The deceased and injured were all employees of Renuka Sugars at Kokatnur in Athani taluk. They were returning to Kokatnur after attending a business meeting in Belagavi. A lorry coming from opposite direction rammed the car at around 6:30 pm. The police had a tough time in removing the bodies from the car which was turned into a rubble of metal due to the impact.

Truck driver Mujahid Patel, a resident of Karoshi in Chikkodi taluk, too has suffered injuries.