At least 30 people were killed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Wednesday when a passenger bus skidded off a mountainous road and plunged down a rocky slope, police said.
The accident took place on a remote mountain road in the Doda area, about 200 kilometres (124 miles) southeast of the region's capital Srinagar.
"Thirty passengers have died in the accident, caused by the driver's negligence by hitting the crash bar of the road," senior police officer Sunil Gupta told AFP.
"The bus tumbled down the mountain some 250 metres (800 feet)."
More than 25 people were also injured in the crash, Gupta said.
A video clip from the site showed a grisly scene of several dead bodies, as rescuers tried to help the injured.
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Police said they feared the death toll could rise, with many badly injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the accident was "distressing" and offered his "condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones".
"I pray that the injured recover at the earliest," he said on social media, adding that government compensation of more than $2,400 would be offered to the next of kin of those killed, and $600 to those injured.
The bus accident in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir is distressing. My condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 15, 2023
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Rs.…
Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he was "deeply anguished to learn about the loss of precious lives".
"The local administration is conducting the rescue operation in the gorge where the bus had the accident."
Deeply anguished to learn about the loss of precious lives due to a tragic bus accident at Doda, Jammu and Kashmir. The local administration is conducting the rescue operation in the gorge where the bus had the accident. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 15, 2023
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