12 Indian pilgrims killed, 30 others injured in bus accident in Central Nepal

Twelve Indian pilgrims were killed and more than 30 others injured when a bus veered off highway and rolled down to about 150 meters before plunging into a river in the Central Nepal on Wednesday morning, police officials said.

"Five female and seven male who died in the accident were Indian nationals and most of them were from Gorakhpur of India," Sub Inspector of Police Basu Kharel, who is involved in the rescue operation told Xinhua on the phone.

The incident took place at 6:40 am Wednesday morning local time.

The bus carrying dozens of Indian tourists skidded off the Prithvi Highway and plunged into local Jhyapre River in Dhading District of the Central Nepal, which is some 50 km west of the capital city Kathmandu.

Sub Inspector of Police Kharel told Xinhua that different teams have been working for the rescue operation, which is still underway. "We are trying to ascertain their names and addresses," another police official said.

According to the police, all Indian nationals were returning to their home after visiting and paying homage to Hindu pilgrimage site Pashupatinath, a famous cultural heritage of Hindu. Endi