Tamil Nadu: 20 Killed In Bus-Container Lorry Collision In Tirupur District

Twenty people, including six women, were killed when a Kerala state government bus collided head-on with a container lorry near Tamil Nadu's Avanashi town in Tirupur district, 40 kms from Coimbatore, on Thursday, officials said. The accident occurred early morning when the Ernakulam-bound KSRTC Garuda Volvo air-bus from Bengaluru collided with the Kerala registration lorry. The driver and the conductor are also among the dead. The bus was going to Ernakulam from Bengaluru, while the lorry was coming from the opposite direction on the Coimbator-Salem Highway. The Kerala registration lorry crashed over the divider after a tyre burst and rammed into the bus, local media reported quoting some eyewitnesses.

Of the 48 passengers in the bus, 19 died on the spot and remaining sustained injuries. Their bodies were taken to Tirupur government hospital. The injured have been admitted to Avinashi Hospital and Coimbatore District Hospital. Out of the 48 passengers onboard the bus, 25 reserved seats for Ernakulam, 19 for Thrissur and 4 for Palakkad.

Images: ANI

According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan instructed District Collector of Palakkad to provide emergency medical care to the victims of the accident.

"All possible relief measures will be taken in cooperation with the government of Tamil Nadu and the District Collector of Tirupur," the CMO said.

Kerala Transport Minister AK Saseendran said, "Senior officials from Kerala State Road Transport Corporation have rushed to the site. 20 feared dead and several injured. KSRTC Managing Director will conduct an inquiry and submit report."