Jammu, August 25: Five persons were killed on Sunday when an overloaded private vehicle skidded off a road and fell into a deep gorge in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said. Jammu And Kashmir: 11 Dead After Vehicle Falls into Deep Gorge in Peer Ki Gali in Shopian.

The tempo traveller, reportedly ferrying 35 people, was on the way to Sharda Sharief from Poonch when the accident took place in Thanamandi area, Rajouri District Development Commissioner Aijaz Asad told PTI. Quoting initial information, he said five persons were confirmed dead while a rescue operation was on.

A police official said the rescue operation was launched immediately after the vehicle rolled down the gorge around 1.30 pm. The death toll is likely to increase as the condition of many injured persons was stated to be "critical", he said.