Three people were killed and 26 others were injured when a passenger bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Kathua district, around 110 km south of Jammu city, the winter capital of India-controlled Kashmir.

Officials said the bus was carrying people to a rally addressed by Indian Health Minister, Gulam Nabi Azad at Billawar town.

"Three people died on spot while 26 others were injured in today's accident," said a police official. "The ill-fated vehicle was on way to Billawar town when it rolled down into a gorge at Mahanpur area."

The injured were immediately admitted in the hospital for treatment, reports said.

Preliminary investigations suggest the driver of the vehicle lost control while negotiating a sharp curve on the road, police said.

In yet another accident three people were killed and one injured in a head on collision between a taxi and a truck at village Barsoo of Awantipora, 25 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Two people died on spot while as third one succumbed to his injuries on way to hospital," said a police spokesman in Srinagar. "Another injured is undergoing treatment in a hospital here."

According to officials, the ill-fated taxi bearing registration number JK03A-7345 was on way from Anantnag to Srinagar, when it collided with a truck bearing registration number JK02K/4427 at Barsoo.

The cause of the accident is being ascertained.

Deadly road accidents are common in this mountainous region often caused by overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

According to traffic department officials last year at least 1, 120 people were killed and 10,108 were injured in 6,644 road accidents across Indian-controlled Kashmir.