Six people were killed and 28 others were injured after two private buses collided in Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi district on Monday.

Police said one of the buses was travelling from Madurai to Senkottai while the other was heading from Tenkasi towards Kovilpatti when they crashed, reported NDTV.

The head-on impact mangled both vehicles and prompted an extensive rescue effort. The New Indian Express in a video post on X reported that all 28 injured passengers are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.

Health officials said that several of the victims were in serious condition and that the death toll may rise.

The collision occurred at Duraichamipuram near Idaikal and claimed six lives at the scene. Five of the injured remain in critical condition.

Authorities are examining whether excessive speed or a loss of control by one of the drivers may have caused the accident and were examining CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed condolences over the deaths and ordered the district collector to ensure the injured receive high-quality treatment.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of six lives in the bus accident that occurred in Tenkasi Kadayanallur. Immediately. I have ordered the District Collector, who spoke to me from the scene of the accident, to visit the government hospital and ensure that the affected individuals receive the appropriate high-quality treatment. I convey my deepest condolences to the deceased and my sympathies to their families. The government stands in support for the swift recovery of those who have been injured," he wrote in a post on X.