Bus plunges into gorge in north-east India, killing dozens

Crowded passenger bus veers off mountain road and plunges into gorge in India's remote north-east.

GAUHATI // A crowded passenger bus veered off a mountain road and plunged into a gorge in India's remote north-east yesterday, killing at least 31 people, police said.

State police chief N Ramachandran said another 34 passengers were injured in the predawn accident in Tongseng village in Meghalaya state.

The bus was heading to Gauhati, the main city in neighbouring Assam state, when the driver lost control of the vehicle and it plunged into the gorge.

Seven people with critical injuries were moved to a big hospital in the nearby town of Silchar, police said.

Mr Ramachandran said around 65 people were travelling in the 40-seater bus.

Two women were among those killed district police chief MK Dkhar said. "The rescue operations are over and investigation has begun to ascertain the cause of the accident," the officer said.

Tripura Transport Minister Manik Dey said a state government team had left for the site.

He said the place where the bus left the road was "extremely accident prone". "Every year a number of accidents have occurred in the area. killing many people."

Police figures show India has the world's highest road death toll, with more than 110,000 people dying each year in accidents commonly caused by overcrowding, speeding, and poor vehicle and road maintenance.

* With additional reporting by IANS