At least 17 people were killed and 16 others injured when a minibus skidded off the road and landed in the Chenab river in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, reported PTI.

The accident took place in Thakrai area of Kishtwar around 9.55 am. The vehicle was on its way to Kishtwar from the Keshwan area. An unidentified police officer said the bus was likely carrying around 30 people when it plunged into the river, the Greater Kashmir reported.

District Development Commissioner (Kishtwar) Angrez Singh Rana said most of the victims died on the spot while one of the 11 critically injured people was airlifted to Jammu and declared dead on arrival at the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu.

The bus driver, Ashra Hussain, was reportedly fined by the traffic police on Thursday for overloading the vehicle. Hussain was among those who died in the accident.

Rana said the family members of those who died in the accident will be given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each while families of those injured will be provided Rs 50,000.

This is the latest in a series of recent road accidents in Jammu and Kashmir. As many as 13 people died when a vehicle they were travelling in rolled down the Chenab river near Kwar Dool area in Kishtwar district on August 21. A day before that, seven people died and 12 wounded when two vehicles were hit by boulders.