11 dead, 40 injured in head-on collision between two buses in Tamil Nadu

At least 11 people were killed and nearly 40 injured after two government buses collided head-on near Thirupathur in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district on Sunday, officials said. Earlier estimates had placed the toll at seven, but authorities revised the number upward after rescue operations concluded.

Police said one bus was travelling towards Karaikudi and the other towards Madurai when they crashed on a highway stretch near Thirupathur. The impact crushed the front portions of both buses, trapping several passengers inside. Local residents and emergency teams pulled out survivors before rushing them to the Sivagangai Government Hospital.

Hospital authorities said over 20 injured passengers are currently



under treatment, some of them in serious condition.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin reacted to the tragedy on X, saying he was “deeply shocked and pained” to learn that 11 people had lost their lives. “I immediately contacted the District Collector and District In-Charge Minister Thiru K R Periyakaruppan, instructing them to rush to the accident site and ensure that the affected individuals receive appropriate high-quality medical treatment,” he posted, offering condolences to the families of the victims and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision, and traffic movement on the route remains partially restricted.