Kozhikode: Nearly 20 kilometres from the busy city, Kaliparamba is a village where celebrations are shared, friendships run deep and every family knows the other. On Saturday morning, that close-knit community woke up to devastating news of an accident that left them shattered.

It was around 3.30 am when Dinil (30), Ajeesh (28), Vimal (28) and Shyamlal (33) lost their lives after the car they were travelling in rammed into a truck near Nallalam, around 10 km from their homes. Another friend, Dijin, sustained critical injuries and is undergoing treatment.

 CCTV visuals show the car, reportedly speeding, slightly veering from its lane before crashing into the front portion of the oncoming truck. What began as a routine late-night outing ended in an irreversible tragedy.

 The five friends had left the village together after attending events at Kottassery Bhagavathy Temple. Like many festival nights before, they decided to go out for food before returning home. It was a familiar ritual after major celebrations — one more moment of togetherness after hours of organising and participating in programmes. This time, that journey never brought them back.

 In Kaliparamba, the loss feels deeply personal. The young men were not just names in a headline but active participants in village life. They organised events, helped conduct wedding functions and social gatherings, and were often the last to leave after ensuring everything was in order. They were known faces in social and political activities, stepping in to resolve local disputes and offering help whenever needed.

 "We met at the temple ground around midnight. We spoke and laughed together," recalled Satheesh, a close friend. "Ajeesh — we called him Muthu — and I work together. They left to have food, and another group of us followed in a different car. Around 3.45 am, we heard about the accident. We never imagined it would be this tragic."

Biju Ponnatil, a neighbour and local committee member of the CPM, said the victims were favourites among villagers for their active involvement in social work. "Even during the rush of the festival, we exchanged a few words. They were always present for every event," he said.

For many families, the loss is not just emotional but deeply personal and economic. Ajeesh, fondly known as Muthu, was an autorickshaw driver and the sole breadwinner of his family. His father had passed away years ago. His aged mother depends on him, one brother is recovering from a cerebral stroke, and another is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. "He was the only hope for that family. This tragedy has broken them completely," said Sajna Malayil, former panchayat member.

Shyamlal worked as a mobile tower operator in Kozhikode, while Vimal was preparing for PSC examinations. Ajeesh and Vimal were relatives and neighbours who were rarely seen apart. Though Dijin was residing at Pantheerankavu, he remained a regular presence in the village, said social activist Somasundaran M V.

The village that celebrated together just a night ago now stands united in mourning, struggling to come to terms with a loss that feels both sudden and unbearably close.

Nallalam police have completed the inquest procedures in morning. The mortal remains of the deceased would be handed over to relatives, after the postmortem examinations, by Saturday afternoon.