PESHAWAR, Dec 22: Six people were killed and 46 others injured when a passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine in Dargai Tehsil in Malakand, some 70kms north-east of here, on Sunday morning.

The injured, some of whom are stated to be in a serious condition, were shifted to the Batkhela Hospital and other nearby health institutions for treatment. Among them are five women.

Those who died in the accident have been identified as Rehman Shah, son of Khanzada, resident of Kot, Sultan Mahmood, son of Faqir, resident of Harichand, Lal Ghani, son of Mohammad Khan, resident of Mena, Said Usman, son of Fatehur Rehman, resident of Totai, Mohammad Gul, resident of Totai, and Misbahuddin, son of Master Sarfaraz, resident of Totai.

According to a statement issued by the district information office, Malakand, the bus, carrying 52 passengers, left the Totai village in the Kot union council for Dargai. The driver, Israr Ghani, son of Hazrat Ghani, lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a sharp turn on the hilly track near the Heroshah Adda and fell into the 200-foot deep ravine.

Malakand District Nazim, Engineer Humayun Khan, Dargi Tehsil Nazim, Yousaf Khan, councillors and officials of the district administration reached the spot soon after the news of the accident spread in the area and mounted a rescue operation.