Rajouri/Jammu | Three passengers were killed and 15 others injured on Monday when a mini bus skidded off the road and plunged into a 300-feet gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said.

The accident took place around 11 am at Kainchi Morh when the driver of the mini bus on its way to Rajouri from Kotranka lost control while negotiating a blind curve, the officials said.

They said a rescue operation was launched immediately and 18 people were evacuated from the scene to the Government Medical College (GMC) associated hospital Rajouri, where three of them were declared dead.

Medical Superintendent Mehmood H Bajar said 15 of the injured were admitted to the hospital and efforts are on to save the lives of the critically injured patients.

The officials identified the deceased as Abdul Rashid (34), Mohd Shabir (40) and Mohd Azam (32).

The condition of five of the injured, including a four-year-old girl, was stated to be critical, they said