9 killed, 59 injured as buses collide

Nine persons, including a woman, were killed and 59 others injured when a Kerala-bound omini bus and a private bus collided near here, police said on Sunday.

Nine persons, including a woman, were killed and 59 others injured when a Kerala-bound omini bus and a private bus collided near here, police said on Sunday.

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The air-conditioned omini bus was on its way to Kottayam from Bangalore while the other was proceeding to Dharmapuri from here when the mishap occurred at Sandhai Thadam village on the National Highway- 7 past midnight yesterday, Salem DIG Venkatraman said.

The head-on collision occurred when the driver of the Salem-Dharmapuri bus suddenly swerved to the right while overtaking a two-wheeler, police said.

Drivers of both the buses were among those deceased, they said adding the injured had been admitted to government hospitals in Omalur and Salem.