India, July 9 -- Six people, all of them friends, died while three others got injured, on Thursday after their Tempo Cruiser collided head on with a lorry in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district, police said.

The collision occurred near Balagar in the Arabail Ghat section as the group travelled towards Dharmasthala and Chikkamagaluru. The impact crushed the Tempo Cruiser, leaving rescue teams to use heavy equipment to free those trapped inside.

Speaking to HT, Uttara Kannada superintendent of police (SP) MN Deepan said, "A Tempo Cruiser travelling from Yellapur towards Ankola collided head on with an oncoming lorry, killing six occupants of the vehicle and leaving three others seriously injured. All the deceased were residents of Dharwad...