Bus plunged into gorge in Udhampur; 15 dead

Fifteen people were killed and 20 others seriously injured, six of them critically, when a bus they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir today. The crowded bus, which was on its way to Udhampur from Latti belt, skidded off the road and rolled down into the gorge in Maroti belt in the district around 10 a.m.

15 people have died and 20 others are injured, 6 of them critically, in the mishap, Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Yasha Mudgal told.

The causalities are expected to increase, she said, adding, 15 bodies have been extricated so far and have been kept at the Khed municipal hospitalhave so far been recovered. The deceased have not been identified yet.

Inspector general of police (DIG) Udhampur-Doda range Surinder Gupta has rushed to the site to supervise the rescue operation.

Governor Narinder Nath Vohra and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed have expressed grief over the incident. The government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident.