11 killed after 2 buses collide head on in Tamil Nadu, probe focuses on driver error, fatigue
The crash occurred around 5 pm near Vivekananda Polytechnic College on the Tirupattur-Karaikudi road, a key corridor connecting southern Tamil Nadu districts.
2 min readChennaiUpdated: Dec 1, 2025 07:05 AM IST
The crash occurred around 5 pm near Vivekananda Polytechnic College on the Tirupattur-Karaikudi road, a key corridor connecting southern Tamil Nadu districts. (Photo: Videograb/ANI)
A head-on collision between two government-operated buses on a straight highway stretch in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district killed at least 11 passengers and left more than 60 injured on Sunday evening, according to police and district officials.
The crash occurred around 5 pm near Vivekananda Polytechnic College on the Tirupattur-Karaikudi road, a key corridor connecting southern Tamil Nadu districts. One bus was travelling from Kangeyam in Tiruppur to Karaikudi, while the other was operating the Karaikudi–Dindigul route. Both vehicles collided with such force that passengers were thrown from their seats and several were trapped inside crumpled metal frames.
Police and fire-and-rescue teams reached the scene within minutes. Rescue crews worked frantically to pull injured passengers from the mangled buses as traffic backed up in the evening rush.
“Eight people died on the spot,” an officer said. “Three more succumbed to injuries at the Tirupattur Government Hospital.”
The injured were transported to multiple medical centres, including Karaikudi Government Hospital, Tirupattur GH, and Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital. Officials later confirmed that 64 individuals were treated — 33 admitted as in-patients and 31 discharged after first aid.
District authorities have not yet released the names of the victims.
The crash unfolded on a straight, two-way stretch of road in good condition with no bends, raising questions about driving error. Preliminary reports suggest either the bus bound for Dindigul swerved into the opposite lane, or the driver of the Tiruppur-bound bus may have been fatigued or drowsy. Investigators are reviewing onboard records and interviewing surviving passengers and officials.
Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.
Expertise
Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.
Key Coverage Areas:
State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.
Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties.
Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.
Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail.
His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
