Fifteen people, believed to be Amarnath pilgrims, were killed and 18 others injured when a SRTC bus skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and rolled down into a deep gorge in Ramban district.
The State Road Transport Corporation bus was on its way from Kashmir Valley to Jammu, rolled down into Digdol nallah around 2320 hours last night, Superintendent of Police (Ramban) Anil Magotra said.
In the mishap, 15 people have died and 18 others were injured, some of them critically, he said.
Magotra, who led the rescue work, said the operation concluded this morning with the recovery of 14 bodies.
One of the victims died at GMC hospital in Jammu.
The injured have been admitted to the Ramban district hospital from where some of the critical were referred to GMC hospital, the SP said, adding that most of the victims were outsiders.
"It appears that they are Amarnath pilgrims. But we need to verify the registration documents to give their account," the SP said.
"Most probably they are Amarnath pilgrims. But we have to go through a process to ensure compensation in case the victims are Amarnath pilgrims," an official attached with the PCR said.
The government has asked the Deputy Commissioner and SP of Ramban to identify the possible Amarnath yatris among the victims, he said.
In another mishap, six Vaishnodevi pilgrims were injured in a head-on collision between a car and Tata Sumo in Katra belt of Reasi district late last night. The injured have been hospitalised.