TENKASI: At least 24 people, including the driver and conductor, were injured after a government bus carrying more than 30 passengers crashed through a roadside barrier and overturned into the Azhagukanni River near Vettaikaran Kulam in Tenkasi district on Sunday.

The bus driver, Sivashakthi, sustained serious head injuries and was referred to the Tirunelveli Government Hospital for further treatment. The remaining injured were taken to the Tenkasi Government Hospital in 108 ambulances.

Kuttralam police have registered a case and are investigating the cause of the accident.

The bus had left the Tenkasi new bus stand for Tirunelveli at around 7 am with more than 30 passengers. Sivashakthi was driving the bus, while Isakki Muthu was the conductor.

According to the police, the bus was travelling on the Tirunelveli-Tenkasi four-lane road near Vettaikaran Kulam, adjoining Azad Nagar, when passengers reportedly heard a sound from the vehicle.

The driver lost control of the bus, which broke through the roadside barrier and overturned into the Azhagukanni River.

Motorists and residents of Vettaikaran Kulam rushed to the spot and began rescuing passengers trapped inside the bus.

Kuttralam police, led by Inspector Pachaimmal and sub-inspectors Muthu Thilagar and Chinnathirai, along with personnel from the Tenkasi Fire and Rescue Services, joined the rescue operation.

Police later cleared traffic congestion in the area, while the overturned bus was recovered with the help of a JCB and a crane.

Police are investigating the accident from multiple angles. Some passengers reportedly told investigators that the driver had been speaking on a mobile phone before the accident.

Investigators are also examining whether the driver may have dozed off or whether a mechanical fault in the bus caused the accident.