NAGARKOVIL: A KSRTC bus collided with a Tamil Nadu Transport bus at the Marthandam flyover in Kanyakumari district. The driver of the KSRTC bus, Aneesh Krishnan (45), a native of Karunagapally, died in the accident. 37 injured people are undergoing treatment in various hospitals in Kanyakumari.

Tamil Nadu Transport bus driver Suresh Kumar (50) from Kaliakkavilai Thiruthuvapuram, Saroj son of Varkala Panayara Sundaran, Pranav Kumar (19) son of Anilkumar from Thrissur Mukundarapuram, and Reeja, wife of Parashala Karumroor Kotavila Raju of SR Bhavan are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Marthanda with severe head and face injuries.

The accident happened around 1:45 pm yesterday. The fast passenger from Nagercoil to Thiruvananthapuram collided with the Tamil Nadu bus going from Kollemcode to Nagercoil. The KSRTC bus was trying to overtake the lorry in front of it at Marthandam flyover when it collided with the Tamil Nadu bus. The front of both buses was completely damaged by the impact of the collision.

Aneesh Krishnan was taken out with a lot of effort and taken to Asaripallam Medical College but could not be saved. The injured were taken to different hospitals in ambulances by Marthandam police and locals who reached the spot. There were 34 passengers in the KSRTC and 30 passengers in the Tamil Nadu Transport bus. Santosh, the conductor of the Tamilnadu bus, gave a statement to the police that the KSRTC bus was speeding.

Following the accident, the traffic on the Thiruvananthapuram - Nagercoil National Highway was blocked for two hours. Minister Mano Thangaraj, Kanyakumari District Collector Sreedhar and District Police Chief Sundaravadhanam visited the injured and the accident site. Senior officials of the Kerala-Tamil Nadu Transport Department also reached the spot. Marthandam police registered a case.