At least 36 people were killed and 19 others injured after a bus plunged into a gorge in northern India’s Jammu district.
Authorities said more than 50 passengers were on board when the bus left the road and fell 300 feet into a canyon in Doda district. The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced financial compensation for the families of the victims.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that authorities were providing “all possible assistance” to the injured, who have been shifted to nearby hospitals. Six of them were in intensive care, he said, adding that a helicopter service was being organized to transport the others.
Road safety is notoriously poor in India, with more than 100,000 people dying each year in accidents caused by poor driving and poor roads.
Buses are a popular means of transportation, especially in small towns. But operators often disregard safety regulations and package them beyond their capabilities. Last year, 25 people died in a similar accident in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand after a wedding bus slid off the road and into a gorge.