New Delhi: A bus fell into a gorge after skidding off a bridge in Jammu district, killing eight persons and injuring 30, news agency ANI quoted official as saying on Tuesday. The bus was on its way to Katra and had pilgrims from outside Jammu and Kashmir who were going to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The incident took place near Jhajjar Kotli - about 15km from Katra in Jammu district. The famous shrine is located on top of Trikuta hills and Katra is the base camp for the visitors.


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The rescue operation was launched by local residents and police who reached the spot. The injured were taken to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu.



"10 people died and around 55 are injured. All have been evacuated. The rescue operation is almost complete. The SDRF team is also present on the spot," ANI quoted SSP Jammu, Chandan Kohli as saying. The SSP further added that the bus was carrying more passengers than the prescribed limit and all this will be probed.



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Assistant Commandant Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Ashok Choudhary said that a crane was brought to check if someone is trapped under the bus.


"CRPF, Police and other teams are also here. Ambulances were called and the injured were immediately rushed to hospital. Bodies have also been taken to the hospital. A crane is being brought here to see if someone is trapped under the bus. A rescue operation is underway. We are being told that the bus was coming from Amritsar and that people from Bihar were on board. They perhaps lost their way to Katra and reached here," said Choudhary.


A Rajasthan-bound bus carrying Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims overturned in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on May 21, resulting in the death of a 27-year-old woman and injury of 24 people.