In a horrific head-on collision involving two state-owned buses, 11 people, including nine women and a driver, were killed and nearly 30 others injured near Thirupathur in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday evening.
According to police, the collision occurred due to over speeding of both the buses coming from opposite directions on a single-lane road towards Pillaiyarpatti, a pilgrim centre. While one bus was heading to Madurai, the other one was on its way to Karaikkudi and they collided head on near the bridge at Kumbangudi.
The 11 victims, including a driver of a bus, died on the spot. The front of the buses were badly damaged under the impact of the collision. And rescue teams faced great difficulty in retrieving the bodies.
On information, ambulances were rushed to the spot and the injured taken to the government hospital at Thirupathur. The district collector has directed that additional doctors and paramedical personnel be in place to treat the injured. With the condition of many remaining critical, the toll might go up, the police said.
Tamil Nadu Minister KR Periyakaruppan rushed to the spot to supervise the rescue mission. Further, post mortem of the deceased could be conducted tonight itself, sources said.
This tragedy comes close on the heels of a recent head-on collision involving two buses in Tenkasi district.