KATHMANDU — As many as six Nepali pilgrims lost their lives and 25 others sustained injuries in a vehicle collision that occurred near Naripallam, a town in Tamil Nadu state, India, on Thursday afternoon.

According to a Times of India report, two of the six were women while a total of 32 Nepali pilgrims were on the bus for a visit to holy temples in India.

The bus, which was en route to Rajasthan from Kanyakumari in India, was trying to make a turn but missed the sight of a minibus and consequently collided with the minibus.

According to police, six persons, including two women, died in the incident. Three of the deceased were identified as Gopal Tamang (56), who was brought dead to the hospital, Fhitasari Choudari (55) and Bishnu Dahal (60), the Hindu writes .

Superintendent of Police for Salem S.Deepa Ganiger visited the accident spot along with senior officials at midnight and conducted enquiries. Police have detained M.Murugeshwaran and S.Shamil, drivers, and are investigating.

Amarnath Choudri, one of the pilgrims, said that they were a group of 34 persons, all from Sunsari district in Nepal, on an India pilgrimage tour and they came to the country on February 6 for the 35-day tour.