11 dead, 20 injured as TN govt buses collide

CHennai: xi people were killed and 20 others injured in a head-on hit involving deuce Tamil Nadu say send Corporation (TNSTC) buses in Sivaganga district on Sunday evening, police said. Condoling the deaths, chief minister MK Stalin has announced an ex gratia of ₹three lakh each to the families of the victims, ₹one lakh to the severely injured, and ₹50,000 to people with minor injuries.According to police, the accident happened near Vivekananda Polytechnic College when one of the buses heading to Devakoottai and the other heading to Dindigul collided, killing eight people on the spot.“Eight people died on the spot, while three died during treatment at a hospital in Thirupathur,” said a police officer aware of the matter, adding that the injured passengers have been rushed to state-run facilities for treatment.Visuals from the spot showed two completely mangled buses and aggrieved passengers waiting for help on the road in a second major road accident in Tamil Nadu in a week.Police have not yet revealed the identities of the victims, but a case has been filed with the Natchiyapuram police station to ascertain the cause of the accident.  “It was a head-on collision, the reason is not clear, we are looking into it,” said an officer aware of the matter.CM Stalin expressed shock and grief over the accident and the loss of lives. “Upon learning the heartbreaking news that 11 people lost their lives in an accident near Thirupathur in Sivaganga District, I was deeply shocked and pained...,” Stalin posted on X.He added: “I immediately contacted the District Collector and District In-Charge Minister K.R. Periyakaruppan, instructing them to rush to the accident site and ensure that the affected individuals receive appropriate high-quality medical treatment...While expressing my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident, I also wish for a speedy recovery for those who have been injured.”He also announced ex gratia of ₹three lakh each to the families of the victims and ₹one lakh to those with serious injuries. The CM announced ₹50,000 to people with minor injuries.On November 24, at least seven people died and over 30 others were injured in Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu after two private buses collided head on near Duraisamypuram. According to police, the accident happened around 11am when a bus en route to Kovilpatti in Tirunelveli district from Tenkasi collided with another headed towards Tenkasi from Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district. An earthmover removed the mangled remains of the two buses from the highway.