An overloaded bus flew off a highway bridge and plunged into a deep gorge.
The bus was occupied by Hindu pilgrims on their way to a shrine in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The bus was en route from the city of Amritsar in Punjab to the town of Katra when it careened off a highway bridge, plummeting into a Himalayan gorge. Indian authorities confirmed that at least 10 people were killed and 57 others were injured. Approximately 75 people were reported to be on the bus.
Police officials suspect the bus lost control near Jammu City due to overloading. The victims hailed from Bihar state, located in eastern India, with many reported to be from the same family. They had hired the bus to transport themselves to the shrine for a tonsuring ceremony for two children. Upon receiving news of the accident, local residents and authorities initiated a rescue operation. The injured were transported to nearby hospitals.
The Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra holds significant religious importance for Hindus and attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees every year. This accident has impacted the pilgrimage community and highlighted the urgent issue of road safety in India.
India continues to have one of the highest rates of road fatalities in the world, with countless lives lost and injuries reported annually. Factors such as reckless driving, poor road maintenance, and the prevalence of aging vehicles are frequently cited in these alarming statistics.