At least 11 people were killed and more than 20 injured on Sunday after two state-run buses collided head-on near Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu. The fatal crash occurred around 15 km from Karaikudi and involved two government buses travelling in opposite directions. Police said that all 11 victims, including eight women, two men and a child, died at the scene. More than 20 injured passengers were shifted to government hospitals for treatment. This is the second major head-on bus collision in Tamil Nadu within a week, raising serious concerns over road safety in the state.
A senior district police official told PTI that 11 passengers died instantly in the collision. The officer said: “it was a head-on collision, the reason is not clear, we are looking into it.” Several passengers with serious injuries were taken to nearby hospitals as emergency teams responded to the accident.
The news agency PTI reported that over 20 passengers were admitted to government hospitals, while police and rescue teams carried out evacuation and first-aid efforts at the scene. The collision has triggered a wider conversation on road safety standards, driver fatigue, and vehicle maintenance on major intercity routes in Tamil Nadu.
This is the second such incident in the state in just one week. Earlier this week, six people were killed and more than 50 injured in a similar head-on collision between two buses in Tenkasi district, ANI reported. At least 55 passengers were onboard the vehicles involved in that crash. Several of the injured suffered severe trauma, including fractures to their arms, legs and head.
Authorities have not yet established the cause of collision near Karaikudi. Police said that an investigation is under way and further details will be released once the probe progresses. Emergency medical services and district authorities have been deployed to assist families of the victims and manage the injured.