11 dead as 2 state buses collide in Sivaganga

MADURAI: Eleven passengers, nine of them women, were killed and over 50 injured when two TNSTC buses collided at Nachiapuram in Sivaganga district on Sunday evening. The impact was so severe that several passengers died on the spot, while many others were trapped inside the mangled buses.

The fatal accident occurred around 5 pm, when one of the buses, going from Karaikudi to Dindigul, collided head on with another bus that was moving from Tiruppur to Karaikudi, near a polytechnic college.

Sources said the collision may have happened when one of the buses was trying to overtake another vehicle. Chaotic scenes ensued immediately after the collision, with passengers crying for help, shattered glass scattered across the road, and locals breaking the bus doors to rescue those trapped inside. Traffic was disrupted for nearly an hour.

Three of the 11 bodies have so far been identified -- V Mallika (61) of Ariyakudi in Karaikudi, S Muthumari (60) of SS Nagar, Singampunari, and P Senrayan (36), bus driver, who belonged to Old Batlagundu, Nilakottai taluk in Dindigul, sources said.

The injured were rushed to Tirupattur and Karaikudi GH. While 43 injured persons, including 22 women, were hospitalised in Tirupattur, 15, including six women, were hospitalised in Karaikudi, sources said. The Nachiapuram police have filed a case. The district administration issued emergency helpline numbers: 04575-246233 to gather and share accident-related information.

Six bodies identified so far.

The deceased victims have so far been identified as S. Muthumari (60) of SS Nagar, Singampunari, Kalpana (36), wife of Raja, Ilayangudi, P. Sendrayan (36), bus driver, who belonged to Old Batlagundu, Nilakottai, Dindigul district, Mallika (61), wife of Vairavan, Ariyakudi, Karaikudi, Gunalakshmi (55), wife of Dharmalingam, Sri Lankan Refugee camp, Devakottai and Chellam (55), wife of Malaikannu, Melur, Madurai district.