Bengaluru, Jan 6 (IANS): Two persons were killed and 4 injured in a serial road accident when a state-run bus rammed into 6 motorbikes, 2 cars and 2 auto-rickshaws in the city's southwest suburb, police said on Monday.

"Two bike riders were killed and 4 others injured when a BMTC bus hit them from side and crashed into other vehicles in a serial mishap at Sumanahalli in Kamakshipalya suburb," additional city police commissioner (traffic) Ravikanthe Gowda told reporters here.

The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for immediate treatment.

Brake failure is suspected to have caused the ill-fated bus crashing into the victims and the injured along with others.

"The bus driver was arrested and an FIR filed against him and the BMTC (Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation) for negligent driving causing death and injury to the people on the road," Gowda said.

"Preliminary investigation into the freak mishap reveals that the brake suspected to have failed and the driver was forced to turn the bus to right for saving about 100 people on the left side from being hit during the Monday peak hour at 9.00 a.m,." recalled Gowda.

The deceased have been identified as Balliappa and Visvesharayya.

The BMTC announced Rs 25,000 compensation to the kin of the two victims who were declared brought dead to the hospital in an ambulance.

In a related development, the BMTC announced Rs 25,000 compensation each to the victims' families and agreed to meet the cost of treatment.

"The depot manager and its superintendent have been suspended and an inquiry ordered against them for allegedly not heeding to the driver's complaint on the brake condition in the old bus," Gowda added.