Bengaluru, Jun 4 ( DHNS) : In a tragic incident, at least 18 people were killed in a multiple collision involving a lorry, a bus and a car at Melumalai in Krishnagiri district near Bengaluru on Friday, Jun 3 evening.

Police said the deceased included the drivers of the lorry and the bus and about 30 others were injured. Most of the deceased were travelling in the bus, which was carrying more than 40 passengers. The death toll might go up as the condition of some of the injured was said to be critical.

Some of the badly injured were shifted to hospitals in Bengaluru for advanced treatment. Police said the bus was proceeding to Hosur from Krishnagiri and in the opposite direction, the lorry was proceeding to Krishnagiri from Hosur, when the accident occurred. The lorry driver, while negotiating a curve on the Krishnagiri-Melumalai Highway, lost control after one of the tyres got burst. The lorry jumped the road divider and rammed into the bus coming from the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,00,000 to the families of the dead and Rs 50,000 to those who were seriously injured.

Four injured in the accident have been rushed to Sparsh Hospitals in Electronic City. All of them are in stable condition and have only sustained minor injuries.

"They have scratches on the face and simple fractures. None are in the ICU," said Dr Shanu Patil, medical director of the hospital. All four are from Tamil Nadu.