Representaitve image (AI-generated)

At least seven Indian pilgrims were killed and nine others injured after a passenger bus skidded off a mountain road and plunged into a valley in central Nepal, police said on Sunday. The pilgrims had been returning after visiting the famous Manakamana Temple when the accident occurred. Manakamana Temple is a popular Hindu shrine where devotees believe the goddess grants wishes to those who visit the temple.Authorities said that among the injured, seven were Indians who were taken to the hospital and are receiving medical treatment. The remaining two injured are the Nepali bus driver and his assistant, according to AP. The accident occurred on a road connecting the highway to the temple near Shahid Lakhan village, about 120 kilometres west of Kathmandu.Police said that the bus was travelling downhill when it slipped while taking a curve and fell nearly 150 metres down the mountainside before landing in a ravine.Local residents and police personnel rushed to the spot, pulled the injured passengers from the wreckage and transported them by ambulance to nearby hospitals for treatment.Authorities said autopsies will be conducted on the bodies of the deceased before they are handed over to their families.Bus accidents are relatively common in Nepal due to poorly maintained vehicles and difficult terrain. Much of the Himalayan country is mountainous and connected by narrow, winding roads.