Jammu, April 20: At least 21 people were killed and several others injured after a passenger bus they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Udhampur district on Monday.

Police officials said a passenger, which was on its way from Ramnagar towards Udhampur, met with an accident and plunged into a gorge near Village Khagote.
“A bus en route from Ramnagar to Udhampur lost control while negotiating a hilly stretch, plunged down the slope, and crushed an auto-rickshaw upon landing upside down on the road below. Fifteen passengers were found dead at the scene, while four others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma told reporters at the site.
Officials said two more critically injured persons succumbed to their injuries at Udhampur District Hospital during treatment, raising the death toll to 21.
“21 casualties so far and 61 injured. Injured have been shifted to Udhampur Hospital while the one more seriously injured is being airlifted to Government Medical college Jammu. My sincere condolences to the bereaved families. All possible assistance is being provided. My office is in constant touch,” Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh posted on X.
During its descent, the bus struck an auto-rickshaw on the road below before crashing with massive force and landing upside down. The impact was so severe that the entire top portion of the bus was crushed, leaving the vehicle mangled and trapping several passengers inside the wreckage.
The injured were shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Udhampur, where from two critically injured were airlifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu for an advanced treatment.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos, with injured passengers crying for help amid twisted metal and shattered glass.
Neetu Rani (32), wife of Sanjay Sharma said there were cries for help all around as injured passengers lay trapped inside the mangled bus before rescuers arrived swiftly and began evacuating them.
Having sustained injuries to her back, legs and face, she said she was on her way to her maternal home in Udhampur when the accident occurred.
Rani said the journey, meant to be a routine visit to her mother’s house, turned into a nightmare within moments as the bus lost control on the treacherous stretch.
“I have lost all my belongings, but life saved is everything. Nothing else matters now — I am just grateful to be alive,” she said, her voice trembling, adding that the horrifying moments of the crash would stay with her for a long time.