JAMMU, March 29: At least 29 people were killed and 17 injured on Monday when a bus rolled down a deep gorge in held Kashmir, police said. The driver lost control of the bus near Bracher village, 240 kilometres northwest of Jammu , while negotiating a curve and the vehicle rolled down a 120-metre gorge, police spokesman Subhash Raina told AFP.

"At least 29 people died on the spot including five policemen. Seventeen other passengers are injured ... 10 of them seriously. The injured have been flown to the Jammu Medical College," said Raina.

"Soldiers and police personnel were part of the rescue operation and carried the injured out of the gorge. They also pulled out most of the bodies." The policemen who were killed had been passengers on the bus, which had been travelling from Poonch to Loran and was carrying 60 passengers, although it only had seats for 48. - AFP