10 killed, 55 injured as bus falls into gorge in India

Ten people died after an overcrowded bus carrying pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine skidded off a bridge and fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Tuesday.

As many as 55 were injured and have been taken to the hospital. Some of them are said to be critically injured, reports NDTV.

The bus was on its way from Amritsar when the accident occurred on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, near Jhajjar Kotli area, near Katra in Reasi district. Katra is the base camp for Vaishno Devi pilgrims.

"Ten people have died while 55 were injured. The injured have been evacuated to the hospital. Besides police and central forces, locals too helped in the rescue operation," Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kohli said.

He said the bus was overcrowded and it will be a part of the investigation even as the cause of accident is being ascertained.

The injured are being treated at the Government Medical College in Jammu.