Several persons were feared dead and many injured when a passenger bus fell off a hill in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Monday, PTI reported.

At least 15 persons were killed, PTI quoted unidentified officials as saying. NDTV reported that seven had been killed.

A rescue operation is underway and several persons had been taken to a hospital. Their condition is critical, the news agency reported.

The accident occurred at about 10 am when the bus was “negotiating a blind curve” near Kagort village in Ramnagar area, PTI quoted officials as saying. The bus was travelling to Udhampur from Ramnagar.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s office confirmed the accident, saying that the administration was extending assistance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each will be given from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the kin of those who died. Those who were injured will be given Rs 50,000 each, the prime minister’s office said.