Mumbai, May 28 (IANS) At least 18 people were killed when a stationery private mini-bus was rammed from the rear by a tempo on the Mumbai-Pune highway near Khalapur early Monday, officials said.

According to the state highway police control, the accident occurred shortly after midnight when the ill-fated bus had halted for rectifying some technical problem.

Suddenly, a speeding tempo rammed it from the rear, instantaneously killing many of the occupants who were sleeping in the bus at that hour.

The bus, carrying members of a marriage party from Ghatkopar suburb of northeast Mumbai, was returning to Pune when the gruesome accident occurred near Khalapur village, officials said.

Six injured passengers have been rushed to hospitals in Mumbai and Thane.