At least 10 people are feared dead and around 40 injured after two government buses collided head-on near Thirupathur in Tamil Nadu on Sunday, officials said.

Police said one of the buses was headed towards Karaikudi while the other was travelling towards Madurai when they crashed on a stretch of road near Thirupathur. The impact left several passengers trapped inside the vehicles before local residents and emergency teams pulled them out.

The injured have been rushed to the Sivagangai Government Hospital. Authorities said the toll may rise as some of the passengers are in critical condition.

A probe has been launched to determine the cause of the collision. Emergency services remain at the site, and traffic movement on the route has been temporarily restricted.

Source: India Today