Bengaluru : Five Ayyappa devotees were killed instantly and three injured in a car-truck collision near Palanajoganahalli on Doddaballapur-Gauribidanur Road late on Thursday night.

Police identified the victims as Hanumanthrayappa, 40, a resident of Saganahalli in Gauribidanur taluk and a KSRTC conductor; Jagadish, 14, a resident of Hirebidanur; Ramababu, 35, a driver in BMTC; Ashwini, 11, and Naveen 17, all from Gangasandra in Doddaballapur taluk.

They were returning home from Sabarimala in Kerala.

The police said the drivers of both the vehicles were speeding and didn’t notice each other while negotiating a blind curve. The truck was transporting iron rods.

Rakesh, 10, Nanjundappa 50, and Baira, 25, a lorry cleaner, sustained injuries. They have been admitted to Nimhans.

The police said the blind curve was a dangerous spot and there had been several fatal accidents there. Road humps would reduce the speed of the vehicles and the number of accidents, they said.

The Doddaballapur police have registered a case.