Two state-run buses met head-on around 5 pm on Sunday, November 30, near Vivekananda Polytechnic College in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu. Eleven passengers died, nine of them women, and more than 50 were hurt.
Both buses belonged to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation. One was running from Karaikudi to Devakottai, according to The News Minute, while the other was headed from Devakottai to Dindigul. The Times of India gave a different route for one of them, Kangeyam to Karaikudi, and counted 54 injured.
Swerving to miss a woman
Early reports say one driver swerved to avoid a woman crossing the road and hit the oncoming bus. A preliminary investigation reached the same view, the Times of India reported. Traffic on the state highway stopped for about 30 minutes.
Eight people died at the scene, among them the driver P Sendrayan, 36, of Batlagundu. Three grievously injured passengers died later at Thirupattur Government Hospital.
Six victims had been identified when The News Minute went to press: M Chellam, 55, of Chokkalingapuram; V Mallika, 61, of Ariyakudi; S Muthumari, 60, of Singampunari; R Kalpana, 36, of Karaikudi; D Gunalakshmi, 55, of the Sri Lankan Tamils rehabilitation camp at Devakottai; and A Deivanai, 55, of Pudukkottai. Collector K Porkodi told the Times of India that three victims could not be identified straight away.
Rescue and relief
Superintendent of Police R Shiva Prasad rushed to the scene with police and fire and rescue teams, and residents of nearby areas helped pull out the injured. A fleet of 20 ambulances carried patients to hospitals in Karaikudi, Thirupattur, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai and Madurai. Around 28 people made their own way to private hospitals.
Chief Minister MK Stalin sent Minister KR Periyakaruppan and the district collector to coordinate. He announced Rs 3 lakh for the family of each victim, Rs 1 lakh for each seriously injured person and Rs 50,000 for each person with minor injuries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu, Governor RN Ravi and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami also expressed condolences.
A case was registered at Nachiyapuram police station. The district administration opened two toll-free information numbers, 1077 and 04575-246233.
Sources
- Tamil Nadu bus tragedy: 11 killed, over 50 injured after buses collide
- Tamil Nadu Bus Accident: 9 women among 11 killed as 2 govt buses collide in Sivaganga; CM stalin announces Rs 3 lakh relief | Madurai News – The Times of India
Sources
- Google News – Bus collision in Tamil Nadu – Overview
- 11 killed, over 50 injured as two govt buses collide head-on near…
