Reckless Overtaking Blamed as Two Buses Crash Head-On in Tenkasi; Six Dead
Tamil Nadu highway turns deadly as two buses collide head-on.
A devastating head-on collision between two fully loaded private omnibuses on the busy Tenkasi–Senkottai state highway in Tamil Nadu claimed the lives of six passengers and left 28 others battling severe injuries on Monday morning, plunging families into grief and exposing yet again the perils of reckless inter-city bus travel in the state.
The tragedy unfolded around 9:45 AM near Puliyarai when a Keysar Travels bus en route from Madurai to Senkottai suddenly veered into the opposite lane while attempting a high-speed overtaking manoeuvre, smashing directly into an oncoming private bus travelling from Tenkasi towards Kovilpatti. The sheer force of the impact crumpled both vehicles beyond recognition, trapping dozens of passengers inside mangled steel frames and scattering luggage and debris across hundreds of metres.
Tenkasi District Police and fire services launched an urgent two-hour rescue operation involving hydraulic cutters and heavy cranes to free those trapped beneath overturned seats and twisted metal. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of blood-soaked passengers screaming for help, with several bodies flung onto the roadside. Preliminary findings confirm excessive speed and negligent driving by the Keysar bus driver as the primary cause, prompting immediate suspension of the operator’s permit on the route.
Also Read: Tamil Nadu, Kerala on Red Alert With Cyclone ‘Fengal’ Set for Landfall Near Puducherry–Sriharikota
All 28 injured individuals, including women and children, were shifted to Tenkasi Government Medical College Hospital and nearby private trauma centres. Medical authorities report that at least nine remain in critical condition with multiple fractures, head trauma, and internal haemorrhaging, raising fears that the death toll may climb in the coming hours.
Police have registered a case under Sections 105 and 118(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (culpable homicide not amounting to murder and causing hurt by rash driving) against the Keysar bus driver, who is among the deceased. A special investigation team is examining CCTV footage from nearby toll plazas, black-box data if available, and survivor testimonies to ascertain whether mechanical failure or systemic violations by the transport company contributed to one of the deadliest road accidents in Tenkasi district this year.
Also Read: MK Stalin Says Supreme Court's Opinion Won't Override April Ruling on Tamil Nadu Governor's Powers
