At least nine people including five women and a six-year-old girl, were killed and 27 others were injured on Friday in Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu, when the State-owned transport bus in which they were travelling collided with a speeding trailer lorry at Ottakovil village.

Police sources said while six were killed on the spot, three succumbed to their injuries at the government hospital.

Of the total injured who were admitted to the Tanjavur Government Medical College Hospital, condition of 11 people was said to be critical, police said.

The bus was going to Senthurai while the trailer lorry was coming from the opposite direction when the mishap occurred.

The lorry driver, who was allegedly in an inebriated condition, managed to escape from the scene. Ariyalur police have registered a case and are searching for the lorry driver.

Meanwhile, four amateur car racers, three of whom were college students, were killed on the spot while another was seriously injured when their car hit a wall near Chettipalayam, near Coimbatore district.

They were on their way to Kari motor car race field in Coimbatore when the accident occurred.