Chennai
In what came as a horrifying news, as many as 20 people were killed when the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus collided head-on with a lorry near Avanashi town, about 40 kms from Coimbatore. Twelve of the 20 dead have been identified, Palakkad Superintendent of Police Siva Vikram told.
The police investigation reports suggest that the container vehicle was overloaded. As the container was carrying more than the permitted weight limit, it would have been impossible for the driver to take control even if it was lost for a second, say police reports. They have also found that the driver is skilled and is licensed to drive heavy vehicle.
According to the Palakkad SP, the accident happened in high speed collision and the container lorry lost control. The officials are yet to understand if the driver dozed off or the accident happened due to tyre burst. Since the driver is still under hiding, the police are yet to know the details of the accident.
The mangled remains of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus gave a picture of the severe hit it took, after the container lorry entered the wrong lane and rammed into it. The injured have been admitted to hospitals in Tirupur, while some have been referred to Coimbatore.
The bus was proceeding to Thiruvananthapuram from Bengaluru, while the lorry was coming from the opposite direction on the Coimbatore-Salem Highway when the mishap occurred in the early hours of Thursday, police said.
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