India bus accident leaves 30 dead

An bus has fallen into a gorge in India, killing at least 30 passengers and injuring 26 others, police in the state of Himachal Pradesh say.

The incident on the overcrowded vehicle happened in the Haripur area of the northern state.

The driver of the bus apparently lost control of the vehicle which plunged into a 100ft gorge, a senior police official said.

Road accidents are common in India and claim hundreds of lives each year.

Most are blamed on reckless driving, old and over-laden vehicles and poorly maintained roads.

The 32-seat passenger bus was on its way to Dehra from Nagrota Suriyan when the incident happened.

Police and local people were rescuing trapped passengers and the injured are being rushed to hospitals.

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