NEW DELHI, June 29 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and seven others injured Saturday after a van rammed into a container lorry in southern Indian state of Kerala, police said.

The accident took place at Walayar in Palakkad district, 356 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.

"This afternoon in a tragic accident, here a van carrying passengers rammed into a container lorry, killing five people on the spot and injuring seven others," a police official posted in Palakkad said. "The deceased include three children, a woman and the driver of the van."

According to officials, the injured were sent to Palakkad district hospital.

Police have registered a case and ordered an investigation into the accident.