At least six people were killed and 20 others injured, some of them critically, when the ASTC bus they were travelling in, plunged into a 200-foot-deep gorge at Mukalmua area in lower Assam’s Nalbari district.
Police officials said the accident took place around 1.30 pm at Adabari in Mukalmua on Saturday on the Hajo-Daulashal road of the district.
A total of 30 passengers were on board the bus (no AS 20-1422) that was on its way to Barpeta from Guwahati.
The injured passengers have been rushed to Mukalmua civil hospital. The cause of the accident was being ascertained, the police officer said, adding that prima facie it appears to be a case of negligent driving.
Locals said while three passengers died on the spot, three others succumbed to their injuries on the way to hospital.
Locals had rescued several injured passengers and took them to hospital before police reaching the spot.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday condoled the loss of lives of passengers who were killed in a tragic bus mishap at Adabari in Mukalmua in Nalbari district on Saturday.
In a statement, Assam Chief Minister Sonowal termed the accident “tragic and unfortunate”.
He also expressed sympathy towards the bereaved families of the deceased and prayed for early recovery of the injured.