10 killed, 26 injured after bus falls into gorge in India

At least 10 people were killed and 26 others injured, some of them critically, after a bus carrying them fell into a 200-feet gorge in northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, police said Sunday.

The accident took place Saturday night near Panchpulla village in Chamba district, about 327 km northwest of Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.

"Last night, a bus carrying passengers fell into a 200-feet gorge near Panchpulla here killing 10 people on spot and injuring several others," a police official posted in Chamba district said. "The injured were taken to different hospitals of the nearest Dalhousie town," the police said.

According to police, the driver lost control over the vehicle on mountainous road and fell into gorge.

"The driver is also injured in the accident and he revealed he could not apply brakes on the road because of its bad condition and hence the bus fell into the gorge," the police official said.

The bus was on its way from Pathankot in Punjab to Dalhousie in the hill state, police said.

Officials said the rescue operations were going on until early Sunday.

The rescuers with the help of locals had a tough time in retrieving bodies and injured from the gorge.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has expressed grief over the accident. He has also directed the district administration to ensure immediate relief operations and provide all possible help to victims of the accident.