Hassan, Mar 20 (DHNS): At least nine people, including two children and two women, were killed and 18 seriously injured in a head-on collision between a jeep and a bus at Ranganathapura in Hassan taluk on Saturday night. 

According to eye witnesses, a speeding bus collided with a   jeep while trying to overtake a truck. The jeep was badly damaged in the accident and nearby villagers had to struggle to pull out the bodies from the vehicle. Among the dead was jeep driver Jagadish.

All the injured have been admitted to various hospitals and the condition of the three of them is stated to be critical.

The occupants of the jeep were travelling from Somanathahalli to Hassan to attend a marriage on Sunday. Many of the injured were shifted to hospitals in two KSRTC buses.

Tension prevailed for some time as a truck driver refused to help in shifting the injured to hospital. The police had to intervene to bring the situation under control.