At least 11 people are reported to have died after a tragic bus accident on a highway in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. The incident happened in the wee hours of Friday near Valliyur.

Two children and two women are reported to be part of the casualties. The bus was travelling from Puducherry to Thiruvananthapuram, and most passengers are said to be belonging to the state of Kerala.

Mary Nisha and her son Alby Raju from Kollam and Suju from Cheriyathura have been identified among the deceased, local media reported. 

Initial police reports suggest that the accident could have happened because the driver dozed off on the wheel and lost control of the bus. Eye witnesses say that the bus rammed into a wall and turned turtle. The police are still investigating the matter.

The injured have been taken to Nagercoil Government Hospital. 

The bus was being plied by a private agency Universal Travels.