In a major accident on Jammu- Srinagar National Highway, 23 people were killed and and 37 others were injured when a bus fell in deep gorge near Udhampur on Monday.

According to the passenger bus, which was on its way to Udhampur from Latti belt, skidded off the road and rolled down into the gorge in Maroti belt in the district, officials said.

15 people have died and 20 others are injured, 6 of them critically, in the mishap, Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Yasha Mudgal said.

The causalities are expected to increase, she said, adding, 15 bodies have so far been recovered.

The injured are being hospitalised and choppers have been requisitioned to airlift the critically injured people to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital in Jammu from Mantalie belt of Udhampur, Mudgal said