By Hilal Mir

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir (AA) – At least 33 people were killed and several others were injured when a passenger bus they were traveling in crashed into a gorge in Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday.

Mohammad Asif, an eyewitness, told Anadolu that the bus skidded off the road and crashed into the gorge near Trungal-Assar area on a major highway in Doda district of Jammu province, nearly 300 kilometers (186.4 miles) from Srinagar, the region’s capital.

The rescue operation is underway, and officials fear the death toll may rise.

Jitendra Singh, a member of the Indian parliament from Jammu province, said a helicopter will be pressed into service to shift the critically injured passengers for treatment to Jammu city.

"All possible help, as required being provided," he said on X.

Lt. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha said he has directed the top provincial officers to provide all necessary assistance to those affected.

Known as the "killer highways," several roads in the mountainous regions of Jammu province, particularly Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts, are prone to road mishaps attributed to poor road conditions, drunk and rash driving, overloading and landslides caused by bad weather.

A total of 805 people died and another 8,372 were injured in 6,092 road accidents in the Jammu and Kashmir region in 2022, according to 12-year data issued in March by the traffic police.

During the first four months of this year, 254 people were killed and more than 2,300 were injured in 1,812 road accidents, the majority of which occurred in the Jammu region, the data show.

Jammu, which was the winter capital of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, accounted for the highest number (551) of fatalities and 6,585 injuries between 2018 and 2022. In comparison, Srinagar, the erstwhile state summer capital, reported 229 accident deaths and 1,776 injuries.