Twenty five people were killed and 60 injured on Thursday when a lorry carrying them to a post-wedding feast fell into a ditch while trying to avoid a live electric wire hanging across the road at Arakalgud near Hassan.

Hassan Superintendent of Police Sarat Chandra said said 25 people were killed and the 60 wounded have been admitted to hospitals.

Earlier, officials in the district police headquarters had spoken about 40 deaths in the incident.

The lorry in which about 100 people were travelling from Basavanakopppal village to nearby Agrahara to attend the feast, rolled into the ditch when the driver applied the brake and tried to avoid the electric wire hanging across the road after being alerted by bus passengers, the police said.