The five city residents who died in the Kerala boat accident include two elderly couples from Behala who went on vacation together and a homemaker from Salt Lake.

Dipak Kumar Dutta, in his early-sixties, and his wife Kalpana, in her late-fifties, of Sarsuna were two of the victims. Dipak, a retired state government employee was an avid traveller, said a neighbour.

The couple were travelling with friends Nirmal Kanti Das and wife Meena, residents of Unique Park in Behala. Nirmal, too, was a retired state government employee.

At the other end of town, the Bhandaris have suffered a double blow in 18 months. Anu Bhandari, in her forties, died in the mishap a year and a half after losing husband Raj.

Anu was on vacation with her sister and brother-in-law. “They were supposed to visit Tirupati after the Kerala trip. They probably also had plans to meet Anu’s elder son Vikram, who lives in Chennai,” said a neighbour.

Chief secretary Ashok Mohan Chakrabarti said an official of the state tourism department was on the way to Kerala to help the victims’ families.