Four Kerala natives and a man from Telangana were killed after a cleaning truck collided with their car at the Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Highway in Bahrain’s capital city of Manama on Friday, September 1. The accident took place around 10 pm when the group was returning to Muharraq after attending Onam celebrations at the Gulf Air Club in Salmabad. The celebration was organised by the Muharraq Al Hilal Hospital, where all five of them were employed.

The deceased persons have been identified as VP Mahesh (33) from Kozhikode, Jagath Vasudevan (26) from Perinthalmanna in Malappuram, Gaidar George (28) from Chalakudy in Thrissur, Akhil Raghu (28) from Thalassery in Kannur, and Suman Rajanna (27) from Telangana. It is learnt that besides being coworkers, the five of them were also close friends.

Soon after the accident, their mortal remains were shifted to a mortuary at the Salmaniya Hospital. The car was completely destroyed in the crash. The Ministry of Home Affairs said arrangements are being made to bring their bodies back to India. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the deaths, referring to the incident as extremely tragic.