Tirupur : 20 people died in a collision between a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus and a truck near Avinashi town of Tirupur district on Thursday morning here.
The bus was on its way to Ernakulam in Kerala from Bengaluru in Karnataka when the mishap occurred.
Deputy Tehsildar of Avinashi Town informed, "19 people that include 14 men and 5 women, died in the collision between the bus and the truck near Avinashi town." One more person succumbed to injuries later, taking the toll to 20.
The bodies have been taken to Tirupur government hospital.
The accident occurred when container truck crashed into the KSRTC bus in Tirupur, reports say.
CM sends two ministers to Tamil Nadu
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed the District Collector of Palakkad to provide emergency medical aid to the victims of the accident.
The chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed the District Collector of Palakkad to provide emergency medical care to the victims of the accident and make arrangements to bring back the dead bodies of the deceased.
Vijayan has also directed two of his colleagues- Transport Minister AK Saseendran and Agriculture Minister VS Sunilkumar to rush to Tirupur to provide all assistance and coordinate relief activities.
"Procedures to identify the deceased are in progress. All possible relief measures will be taken in cooperation with the Government of Tamil Nadu and the District Collector of Tirupur," read an official statement by the chief minister's office.
6 woman are among the 20 dead and the injured have been taken to hospitals in Tirupur and Coimbatore.
23 passengers with serious injuries are admitted to the Tirupur Government Hospital, according to sources.
Kerala Transport Minister AK Saseendran told ANI: "Senior officials from KSRTC have rushed to the site. 20 are feared dead and several others injured. Tirupur district collector is camping in the site.
"CM's office is coordinating proceedings to render all available help to those injured. We are trying to identify the bodies of the victims. I have ordered an enquiry. KSRTC MD will conduct an enquiry and submit a report."
