32 Passengers Dead, 28 Injured after 'Overloaded' Bus Tumbles into Gorge in Himachal's Kullu District

New Delhi: At least 32 passengers were reported dead and 28 injured after an overloaded bus fell into a deep drain in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, according to officials. Sixty passengers were reportedly on board when the accident took place near Banjar.

With rescue operations in progress, the death toll is expected to rise.

Kullu Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri said the private bus (bearing registration number HP 66-7065) fell into the over 300m-deep nullah near the Dhoth Morh in Banjar tehsil of the district. The bus was on its way to Gada Gushaini.

Agnihotri added that 15 bodies have been recovered so far, according to news agency ANI.

Prima facie, overloading and negligent driving may have caused the accident, said Banjar Patwari Sheetal Kumar.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur expressed grief over the accident. The latter has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, said an official spokesperson, adding that Thakur has also asked the administration to provide the best possible medicare to the injured passengers.

Most of the victims of the accident were residents of various areas in Kullu district.

The injured are undergoing treatment at the Banjar Civil Hospital and the Kullu district hospital, officials said, adding that there was a possibility that the death toll might rise.

State Transport Minister Govind Singh Thakur also left for Kullu from Shimla after learning about the accident.

The Kullu district administration announced an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 each to the kin of the deceased and the injured.

The Prime Minister's Office expressed condolences and said the state government would provide all possible assistance.

(With inputs from PTI)