Sixteen people, mostly pilgrims, were killed and 29 injured when a bus in which they were travelling fell into the swollen Bhagirathi river at Nakhuridunda area in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand on Wednesday.

The bus, going to Rishikesh from Gangotri shrine, was carrying nearly 45 passengers when the mishap occurred, Uttarkashi DSP Hukam Singh Khati said.

The injured have been admitted to Uttarkashi district hospital where condition of three persons was stated to be serious. There were at least 10 pilgrims from Karnataka travelling in the bus out of which seven died in the mishap, police said.

The mishap apparently occurred when the front tyre of the bus burst following which the driver lost control and the vehicle fell into the river.

Last week, 13 people were killed and nine injured when a bus carrying them fell into a gorge near Satpuli area of the hilly Pauri district. Nearly 50 people were killed in different road mishaps in the state last month.