Thiruvananthapuram: The tourist bus that met with an accident at Vadakkencherry in Palakkad late Wednesday was speeding and it rear-ended the KSRTC bus while trying to overtake a car, said State Transport Minister Antony Raju.

Speaking to Manorama News here, he said the department would carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.

The minister added that schools should inform the Motor Vehicle Department about their excursion plans.

A tourist bus carrying 42 students and five teachers from Mar Baselius Vidyaniketan School, Mulanturutti in Ernakulam, to Ooty, collided with a KSRTC bus and overturned. Five children, one teacher, and three KSRTC passengers died.

Evidence has emerged confirming that the speeding of the tourist bus was the cause of the fatal accident. As per the GPS data, the bus was clocking 97.7 kmph at the time of the accident.