Uttarakhand: 44 passengers were killed after their bus fell into a gorge in Uttarakhand's Paudi Garhwal district this morning. Three are critically injured, reports NDTV.

The accident happened on the Pipali-Bhoan motorway in Pauri Garhwal's Nainidanda block. The police and a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are engaged in rescue operations.

According to reports, about 45 passengers were travelling in the mini bus which was headed for Ramnagar from Bhoan. The reason for the accident isn't known yet.

The injured were rushed to the hospital. The number of casualties is expected to rise, said Garhwal commissioner Dilip Jawalkar.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat offered his condolences to the families of those killed.