Karwar (Karnataka) | One person died while 21 others were injured after the private bus they were travelling in fell into a stream after hitting a bridge in the small hours of Monday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Vinayak Shinde, a resident of Hubballi, they said.

The accident occurred near Agasur village in Uttara Kannada district at around 3 am when the private bus was heading to Mangaluru.

Citing preliminary inquiry, a senior police officer said the driver was engaged in rash driving. While trying to avoid potholes, he lost control, causing the vehicle to hit the bridge, overturn and fall into the stream.

With the help of locals and police teams, the passengers in the bus were rescued.

During the accident, a male passenger died and 18 others sustained minor injuries. They were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, he said.

With the help of a crane, the bus was retrieved from the stream, police said, adding further investigation is underway