At least seven Indian pilgrims were killed and nine others injured after a passenger bus skidded off a mountain road and fell into a valley in central Nepal, police said on Sunday. The pilgrims were returning after visiting the famous Manakamana temple when the accident occurred. Manakamana Temple is a popular Hindu temple where devotees believe that the goddess fulfills the wishes of those who visit the temple.Officials said that among the injured are seven Indians who were taken to the hospital and are undergoing treatment. According to AP, the remaining two injured are the Nepalese bus driver and his assistant. The accident occurred on the road connecting the temple to the highway near Shaheed Lakhan village, about 120 km west of Kathmandu.Police said the bus was going downhill when it skidded at a turn and fell about 150 meters down the hill before landing in a ravine.
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Local residents and police personnel reached the spot, pulled out the injured passengers from the debris and shifted them by ambulance to nearby hospitals for treatment.Officials said post-mortem 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.