PAYYANNUR: Three women were killed when a pick-up van rammed into MGNREGA workers at Ramanthali Kurishu Mukku. The deceased have been identified as Shobhana (54), Yashoda (68) and BP Sreelekha (48). All those involved in the accident are neighbours. The tragedy that shook the state took place at around 9.30 am yesterday.

The accident took place when the workers, who had come to work, gathered at Onaparamba and took a group photo and then split into two groups and started work. The three victims were walking on the right side of the main road to Payyannur to finish the remaining work at Kurishu Mukku when the pickup rammed into them from behind. The pickup lost control and ran over the workers and overturned when it entered the road towards Payyannur side from Ezhimala Top Road. The pickup overturned after hitting the mango tree on the roadside. Sobha died on the spot while Yashoda died on the way to a hospital in Payyannur. Sreelekha, who was seriously injured, was rushed to a private hospital in Mangalore after treatments at two other hospitals but her life could not be saved.