Srinagar: At least 13 people were killed and 17 others were injured after a bus fell into a gorge in the hilly Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
The bus was on its way to Loran when it skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Mandi area's Plera. Rescue and search operation is underway, while the injured travellers have been rushed to a sub-district hospital in Mandi for treatment.
Out of the injured, four were airlifted to Jammu for treatment, according to Deputy commissioner Poonch Rahul Yadav.
Officials said the bodies of all those killed in the accident have been recovered. The wreckage of the bus was lying near a river and villagers were seen removing the dead bodies from the spot and putting them on top of a road, from where they could be picked and carried to their homes for last rites.
The government is likely to provide ex-gratia relief to the families of the victims who have been killed.
It is not clear how the accident happened but initial reports suggest the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a bend. Most of the routes from Poonch headquarters to villages are steep with small villages nestled atop mountains.
Poonch is 210 km from Srinagar through the Mughal road which is closed now due to snow accumulation at Pir Ki Gali and 250 from Jammu, a road which keeps the district linked throughout the year.
Accidents like these are common in the twin districts of Pir Panjal that comprises Poonch and Rajouri.
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