A bus carrying Indian pilgrims plunges off a mountain road in Nepal, killing 7

KATHMANDU, Nepal — A passenger bus carrying Indian pilgrims slipped off a mountain road and rolled down its slopes in central Nepal, killing seven people and leaving nine more injured, police said Sunday.

All seven killed were Indian pilgrims, and seven other Indian pilgrims on board were injured and taken to nearby hospitals to get medical treatment. The other two injured in the crash, which happened Saturday night, were the Nepali bus driver and his assistant.

The bus was returning after the pilgrims visited the revered Manakamana Temple, a popular Hindu temple where devotees believe a goddess will grant them their wish if they visit the shrine.

The accident occurred on a path leading from the highway to the temple near Shahid Lakhan village, located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu.

The bus was going downhill when it slipped off a curve and rolled down the mountainside about 150 meters (500 feet) before landing in a ravine.

Police and villagers who reached the wreckage pulled out the injured and helped transport them in ambulances to local hospitals for treatment.

Autopsies will be performed on the bodies of those who died before they are released to family members, police said.

Bus accidents in Nepal are common, mostly due to poorly maintained roads and vehicles. Much of the Himalayan country is covered by mountains and connected only by narrow roads.