10 killed, 32 hurt as bus hits divider in Tirunelveli

Three of the deceased are residents from neighbouring state of Kerala, two victims from Gujarat and two from Kanyakumari district, police said, adding that the other three were yet to be identified. Those killed included two children and four men. 

The condition of four of the injured in the gory accident was stated to be serious, they said. Police said the bus driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while driving at a high speed through Panagudi on the four-lane stretch, leading to the accident.  Cranes were used to lift the vehicle to rescue people trapped beneath it, police said.

The accident occurred when the bus was on its way to Thiruvananthapuram from Karaikal  in Puducherry via Kanyakumari. All the injured persons have been admitted to the government hospital at Nagercoil, police said. 

Meanwhile, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala talking to media persons in his State   capital said that he had instructed Thiruvananthapuram Range IG Manoj Abraham to coordinate the rescue operations along with the Tamil Nadu police. 

Revenue officials, who had gone to the mishap site, had been asked to bring the injured Keralites back to the state for further treatment, if necessary, he added.