Six people died and 22 others were injured after a bus fell into a ditch in the Srinagar area of Pauri Garhwal dictrict in Uttarakhand on Sunday, officials said.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said the accident took place near Dahalchauri where the bus went out of control and fell into a 100 meters deep gorge.
The bus, with 28 passengers on board, was en route to Dahalchauri from Pauri, offs were quoted by news agency PTI as saying. They added that five people died on the spot.
Local people also helped in conducting the rescue operation after the accident and the injured were taken to Pauri district hospital.
Eight of the injured have been referred to a higher health center in Srinagar in critical condition.
Pauri District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan reached the spot and conducted a speedy rescue operation under his supervision.
He has directed the officials of the Transport Department to investigate the causes of the accident.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep grief over the accident and also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.