Eight people were killed and 14 others sustained injuries when an overcrowded vehicle fell into a 250-feet gorge in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh early on Tuesday, the police said.
Most of the injured were rushed to the zonal hospital in Chamba town, which is about 450 km away from Shimla, the state capital.
The police said several of the passengers on board the privately-owned vehicle were from Chamba district and belonged to a marriage party.
The incident took place some 50 km away from district headquarters in Chamba near Bakrua nullah in Salooni tehsil, Additional Superintendent of Police Kulwant Thakur told IANS.
The reason behind the accident is not known yet. However, eyewitnesses said the vehicle was overcrowded and the driver lost control over it at a turning.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh directed the district administration to carry out rescue operations, besides asking them to provide adequate help to the survivors.
