16 killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir road crash

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir - At least 16 people including two children were killed on Tuesday after a vehicle fell into a deep gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The accident took place in village Marmat in Doda district, 241 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"In a tragic road accident in Doda today, a vehicle carrying passengers skidded off a hilly road and fell into a gorge, killing 16 people," a police official posted in police control room in Jammu told Xinhua. "Initially 12 people including the driver were killed on the spot. However, four others injured in the accident died in the hospital."

Officials said they have rushed police team to the spot to carry out rescue work.

"Bodies have been retrieved from mangled vehicle with the help of locals," the police official said.

Police said the victims were locals, who boarded the vehicle to reach a nearest village in the district.

Deadly road accidents in India are often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.