UDHAMPUR, Occupied Kashmir (Kashmir English): At least 21 people were killed when a heavy passenger bus skidded off a rocky slope and plunged into a gorge in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir News Service, an official reported that the accident occurred near Kunote village in Udhampur district.
Udhampur administration
Civil Administrator Prem Singh stated that the 42-seater bus was carrying over 60 people from Ramnagar town to Udhampur city when it collided with an auto-rickshaw on a sharp bend in the hilly area.
The bus veered off the road and fell approximately 30 meters (100 feet) into a gorge.
Associated Press quoted Singh as saying that 19 passengers died on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries in the hospital after being rescued.
Approximately 45 others are injured, some critically, and are undergoing treatment at various health centres.
According to a health official at Sub-District Hospital Ramnagar, most victims died due to severe head injuries and internal bleeding.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the accident on social media and announced financial assistance for the victims’ families.
He said that India has one of the highest road fatality rates in the world, with millions of people killed and injured annually.
Most accidents are attributed to reckless driving, poor roads, and old vehicles.
