At least five people including two women were killed and six others including a woman and the van driver injured in a collision between a tipper lorry and a van on the A-9 road in Mankulam this morning, police said

They said the van was speeding towards Jaffna when it crashed into a lorry, which was parked by the roadside near Murukandi Pillaiyar Kovil in Mankulam close to the 233 kilometre post.

The lorry, which belongs to a road construction company, was loaded with metal. Police said they believed that the van driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel resulting in the tragedy.

Police said all those killed and injured were travelling in the van. They were admitted to the Kilinochchi Hospital.

One of the injured in a serious condition was transferred to the Jaffna Hospital Intensive Care Unit. (Chaturanga Pradeep)