Three persons, including a 35-year-old woman, travelling on two-wheelers died after being knocked down by a car on the Tiruchi - Madurai National Highway a few kilometres from the city on Monday night.
Police gave the names of the deceased as M. Arumugam (20), D. Anand (19) and A. Kanagavalli (35).
Five others were injured in the accident that occurred at Alampatti diversion road.
Police sources said Kanagavalli was riding pillion on a two-wheeler driven by her husband Ashokraj along with her two sons aged eight and six years.
Another two-wheeler was driven by Arumugam with Anand and Ashik riding pillion.
Both two-wheelers were said to be crossing the road when the car proceeding towards Chennai from Madurai hit both vehicles.
The riders and pillion riders of both the two-wheelers were thrown away in the impact.
The two-wheeler driven by Arumugam hit a roadside tree and caught fire. The car overturned after hitting the centre median.
The sources said Arumugam, Anand and Kanagavalli died of injuries they sustained in the fatal accident. Ashokraj (35), Ashik and car occupants T. Mathirajan (62), S. Karuppusamy (54) and T. Arumugasamy (63) sustained injuries.
Car driver Santhakumar has been named as the accused and Manikandam police have registered a case.
