At least 11 died, over 60 injured as two govt buses collide head-on in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga

At least 11 passengers died, and over 60 were injured after two government-operated buses collided on a straight highway stretch in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday evening, according to police and district officials. The incident unfolded around 5 pm near Vivekananda Polytechnic College on the Tirupattur-Karaikudi road.

According to a report by the Indian Express, one of the buses was en route to Karaikudi from Kangeyam in Tiruppur, while the second bus was travelling on the Karaikudi–Dindigul route. During the horrific incident, both buses collided with such an impact that passengers were thrown from their seats, leaving multiple individuals trapped inside crumpled metal frames.

Following the incident, police and fire-and-rescue teams reached the spot soon after they were notified, where the rescue team pulled injured passengers from the mangled buses as traffic backed up in the evening rush. “Eight people died on the spot. Three more succumbed to injuries at the Tirupattur Government Hospital," an officer said.

Investigation into the incident on the way

The injured were taken to several hospitals, including Karaikudi Government Hospital, Tirupattur GH and Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital. Authorities later confirmed that 64 people received treatment, 33 were admitted, and 31 were discharged after first aid. District officials have yet to release the list of victims.

The collision occurred on a straight, two-way stretch of well-maintained road with no curves, prompting questions about driver error. Early findings indicate the Dindigul-bound bus may have veered into the opposite lane, or the Tiruppur-bound driver may have been fatigued or drowsy. Investigators are examining onboard data and speaking with survivors and officials.