30 people died in Kashmir bus accident

At least 30 people were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday when a coach skidded off a mountain road and plunged into a deep ravine, police said.

The accident took place on a remote road in the Doda area, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of the region’s capital Srinagar.

“Thirty passengers have died in the accident, caused by the driver’s negligence by hitting the crash bar of the road,” senior police officer Sunil Gupta said.

“The bus tumbled down the mountain some 250 meters (800 feet). More than 25 people were also injured in the crash,” Gupta said.

A video clip from the site showed a grisly scene of several dead bodies, as rescuers tried to help the injured.

Police said they feared the death toll could rise, with many badly hurt.

“The local administration is conducting the rescue operation in the gorge where the bus had the accident.”

Accidents are common on India’s vast network of roads, which are often poorly maintained.

The country accounts for 11 percent of the global road death toll, despite having just one percent of the world’s vehicles, according to a World Bank report released in 2021.

The same report estimated 150,000 car crash fatalities in India annually — or one every four minutes — causing road crashes that cost the Indian economy around $75 billion each year, the report added.