Nine persons, including two women and two children, were killed after a State Transport Corporation bus swerved off the ghat road near Hogenakkal and fell into a 100-foot-deep gorge on Tuesday. G.Nagammal (50), M.Shivashankatri (10) both of Kammalapatty in Palacode, K.Vengatammal (50), Kaliappan (55) both of Alakappadu in Dharmapuri; M. Sahadevan (50) of Mallapuram in Pennagaram, C.Manivannan (50) of Dharmapuri, M. Manikandan (10), Sudhakar of Krishnagiri (38) were killed on the spot. Duraisamy (50) of Dharmapuri died at the Dharmapuri GH.
Over 40 passengers were rushed to Pennagaram and Dharmapuri Govenrment Hospitals with injuries.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus from Bommidi to Anjetti left Dharmapuri town at 11.40 a.m with over 60 passengers. The driver lost control while negotiating the narrow hill road about six-km down the Forest Department check post in Hogenakkal. It swerved off the ghat road and rolled into a gorge.
According to police, the narrow stretch overlooking an Anjenayar temple had already witnessed two accidents an year ago.
After a five-hour-long operation, the fire service personnel hauled out the wreckage.
