An overloaded private bus skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, killing 10 passengers and leaving 36 injured, police said.

The bus was on its way to Jammu from Surankote, they said.

Rajouri senior superintendent of police Yougal Manhas said 10 people were killed and 36 injured in the accident. He said two of the deceased have not been identified yet.

Fourteen injured, who were critical, have been shifted to GMC hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment, the police said.

They said the private bus was overloaded.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Ghulam Ahmed Mir and the National Conference expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident.

Mir urged the union territory administration to provide immediate financial help to the families of the victims.