At least 21 people were killed in a bus accident in the Kashmir Valley. news

At least 21 people have been killed after a crowded passenger bus skidded off the road and plunged down a steep, rocky slope into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), an official said the accident occurred at around 8.30 am (03:00 GMT) on Monday near Connaught village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.

Civil Administrator Prem Singh said the 42-seater bus was carrying over 60 people from Ramnagar town to Udhampur town when it hit an autorickshaw at a sharp turn in the hilly area. The bus left the road and fell approximately 30 metres (100 ft) into a ditch.

According to the Associated Press news agency, Singh reported that 19 passengers died on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries in the hospital after evacuation. About 45 others were injured, some in critical condition, and are being treated at various health centres.

According to a health official at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Ramnagar, quoted by KNS, most of the victims died due to severe head injuries and internal bleeding.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident on social media and announced economic relief for the victims’ families.

“I express my heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said on Twitter.

India has one of the highest road mortality rates in the world, with hundreds of thousands of people killed and injured every year. Reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and old vehicles are responsible for most of the accidents.