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High-speed impact on narrow road triggers one of the district’s deadliest transport accidents this year

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Eleven people were killed and more than 50 injured when two state-run buses collided head-on in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district on Sunday evening, police said.

The crash occurred around 5 p.m. near Vivekananda Polytechnic College on the Tirupattur–Karaikudi road. One bus was travelling from Kangeyam towards Karaikudi, while the other was en route from Karaikudi to Dindigul when the collision took place, officers said.

Eight people died at the scene and three others succumbed to injuries at the Tirupattur Government Hospital, according to a police official quoted by local media. Among the dead was P. Sendrayan, the driver of one of the buses.

More than 50 injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Karaikudi, Thirupattur, Sivaganga and Pudukottai. Six critically injured travellers were transferred to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai for specialised treatment, officials said.

Preliminary investigations suggest both buses may have been speeding on a narrow stretch of the road, contributing to the severity of the collision. Police have registered a case and are examining the cause of the crash.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed condolences to the families of the victims and announced compensation of ₹3 lakh for the next of kin of those killed, ₹1 lakh for seriously injured passengers and ₹50,000 for those with minor injuries.

The accident is among the most serious bus crashes reported in the region this year and has renewed concerns about speeding and road safety on state highways.