At least 45 persons were killed, and five others injured when a private bus in which they were travelling fell into a 200-m-deep gorge near the famous tourist spot of Kufri today.

While 44 passengers died on the spot one succumbed to his injuries at the Indira Gandhi [Images] Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla, Superintendent of Police Rajendra Mohan Sharma told PTI.

Though he could not immediately furnish the exact count of the women and children the SP said there are many women among the dead.

The five injured are admitted at IGMC, he added.

The incident occurred at about 11 am when the bus was on its way to Shimla from Koti Ghat in Rampur sub-division, rolled down into the gorge near Lambi Dhar, about 5 km from Kufri, on Rampur-Shimla road, the SP said.

The bus was completely smashed as a result of fall from such a great height, he added.

The cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained.  Immediately after getting information about the accident, the SP along with Deputy Commissioner J S Rana rushed to the accident site to supervise rescue operation.