+++CLIENTS PLEASE NOTE: CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES+++

Fifty people, including several women and children, have died in a bus accident in Jagtiyal district of Telangana, India, on September 11.

Many passengers were seriously injured and officials said the toll is likely to go up.

The government-owned Road Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus skidded off a mountain road and fell into the gorge resulting in the accident.

The bus was carrying 70 passengers who were returning from a temple in Kondagattu Hills, a popular pilgrimage centre about 190 km from Hyderabad.

Eyewitnesses said the bus was overcrowded and the driver lost control of the vehicle at a sharp curve, resulting in the bus plunging into the gorge.

Officials said brake failure may have caused the accident.

Jagtial District Collector A Sharat, who is supervising the relief and rescue work, said the accident happened between 11.45 am and noon.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has announced financial assistance of 500,000 Rupees each to the families of the dead.

The injured were shifted to a government-run hospital in Jagtial. A few critically injured were shifted to hospitals in Karimnagar and Hyderabad.

Fifty people, including several women and children, died in a bus accident in Jagtiyal district of Telangana, India, on September 11.

Many passengers were seriously injured and officials said the toll is likely to go up.

The government-owned Road Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus skidded off a mountain road and fell into the gorge resulting in the accident.

The bus was carrying 70 passengers, who were returning from a temple in Kondagattu Hills, a popular pilgrimage centre about 190 km from Hyderabad.

Eyewitnesses said the bus was overcrowded and the driver lost control of the vehicle at a sharp curve, resulting in the bus plunging into the gorge.

Officials said break failure may have caused the accident.

Jagtial District Collector A Sharat, who is supervising the relief and rescue work, said the accident happened between 11.45 am and noon.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has announced financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh each to the families of the dead.

The injured were shifted to a government-run hospital in Jagtial. A few critically injured were shifted to hospitals in Karimnagar and Hyderabad.