The bus is reported to have overturned on a curve on a mountain road in the Udhampur district and then plunged into a ravine.
In addition to the fatalities, more than 60 people have been injured, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh told X. The location where the bus wreckage ended up is said to be very difficult to access.
Serious traffic accidents are not uncommon in the area. The Jammu and Kashmir region is mountainous, the roads are often poorly maintained, and traffic is heavy.
The steep slopes, sharp turns and narrow roads make driving very difficult, local resident Shankar Singh told the EFE news agency.
