Chandigarh/Shimla, Dec 22 (IANS) Five people, including three women, were killed and 42 injured when a private luxury bus on its way to New Delhi from Manali rolled down a 100-ft gorge in Himachal Pradesh early Tuesday.
The accident took place near Garha Mora village in Bilaspur district, about 90 km from Chandigarh.

Superintendent of Police (Bilaspur) Kuldeep Sharma said the accident occurred at around 4 a.m. when the brakes of the bus failed.

The bus, belonging to Delhi-based Swagat Tour and Travel, was on its way to New Delhi from Manali.

“Three of the dead have been identified. They were Firdose of Gujarat, Minakshi Gupta of Jaipur and V. Victor of Surat,” he said.

Thirty-nine injured were admitted to a civil hospital in Anandpur Sahib in Punjab while three seriously injured have been referred to a Chandigarh hospital.

A police officer said the bus was mainly carrying couples on their honeymoon.

Villagers began the rescue work before police reached the spot. Rescue operations were hampered due to darkness and fog in the area.