Salem, (Manorama): Nine persons, including a woman, were killed and 59 others injured when a Kerala-bound omini bus and a private bus collided near here, a senior police official said Sunday.

Two Malayalees were among those who killed, according to reports. The driver of the bus, Biju Dixon, hails from Ernakulam, reports say.

The air-conditioned omini bus was on its way to Kottayam from Bangalore while the other was proceeding to Dharmapuri from here when the mishap occurred at Sandhai Thadam village on the National Highway- 7 past midnight Saturday, Salem DIG Venkatraman said.

The head-on collision occurred when the driver of the Salem-Dharmapuri bus suddenly swerved to the right while overtaking a two-wheeler, he said.

Drivers of both the buses were among those deceased, they said, adding that the injured had been admitted to government hospitals in Omalur and Salem.