Nine of funeral party killed on Bengaluru highway

All the victims were from Vellore district and were on their way to attend a funeral in Kancheepuram when the accident happened.

Police said the load vehicle was about to take a turn into a smaller road on the right side when a private bus coming in the opposite direction dashed against it. In the impact, the vehicle carrying people from Vellore was dragged by the bus to a few metres before it came to a halt. The accident led to traffic snarls for over an hour.

Eight were killed on the spot while another woman died in Kancheepuram Government Hospital where all the injured were taken immediately after the accident. All the victims were from Sirunaimalli village in Panapakkam panchayat, Nemili, Vellore district.

Senior police officers, including the range DIG and the District Collector, visited the accident spot. The drivers of the load carrier and the bus fled the scene immediately after the mishap, police said. The deceased were identified as K Parimala, 53, M Panchami, 50, M Chinnaponnu, 60, S Thulakanam, 58, R Muthammal, 50, M Rajikanni, 48, K Indira, 40, V Sumitra, 45 and M Alavattan, 60.