Some 15 people were killed while more than 24 others sustained injuries in a major road mishap in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh early Monday morning, a senior police official said.

"The mishap happened when the overcrowded bus in which the victims were traveling rammed into a tree on Amroha-Joya road at 2 AM. The vehicle was coming from the pilgrimage town of Hardwar and going to Sambal district in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

While 14 people were killed on the spot, one person succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital. All injured have been admitted to a local hospital, the official said, adding that a manhunt has been launched to nab the driver of the bus who managed to escape.

A probe has been ordered into the incident, he added.