Kallakurichi (Tamil Nadu), Sep 25 (Reporter) In a tragic incident, six pilgrims were killed on the spot and 16 others injured, a few of them grievously, when a tourist van they were travelling in rammed into a roadside tree at Mettathur village near Ulundurpet in Kallakurichi district of Tamil Nadu early on Wednesday. Police said the accident occurred when the occupants of the ill-fated van were returning to their native Valapandal village near Arani in Tiruvannamalai district after a pilgrimage to Lord Subramania Swamy Temple at Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of the van had dozed off and lost control of the vehicle resulting in the accident. There was also heavy rainfall in that area, when the van met with the accident. The deceased were identified as G.Ravi (61), R.Murugan (52), K.Ramalingam (51), P.Selvam (51), R.Durai (42) and M.Sakthi (20). Police rushed to the spot and rescued the injured persons from the mangled remains of the van. The injured were treated at Government Villupuram Medical College Hospital at Mundiyampakkam and later shifted to the government hospital at Kallakurichi. The vehicular traffic on the busy Chennai-Tiruchirapalli national highway was severely affected for a couple of hours due to the accident. Thirunavalur police have registered a case and are investigating...////...