Kohima, Aug. 8: Tragedy struck Nagaland before dawn with 17 people being killed when a night bus winding its way through hilly terrain plunged into a deep gorge in Wokha district.

The Nagaland State Transport vehicle was on its way from the remote district of Tuensang to Kohima via Wokha, carrying 33 passengers. The incident occurred at Kontsunyu village, 11 km from Wokha town.

A police official said over phone from the town that the driver lost control over the bus while negotiating a sharp bend. The list of casualties includes two children.

At least 14 of the remaining passengers were injured in the accident.

Assam Rifles personnel stationed at Tseminyu and Wokha rushed to the spot and extricated the dead and the injured from the mangled remains of the bus. The police joined them in the rescue operation soon after.

All the injured were initially admitted to a hospital in Wokha. An Indian Air Force helicopter was used to shift six of them to the state capital when their condition worsened.

Senior police and health department officials were waiting at the helipad here when the chopper arrived. A team from the Naga Hospital and the paramilitary force carefully moved the six injured to four ambulances. Doctors said the passengers had suffered severe head, chest and spine injuries.

The Neiphiu Rio government announced Rs 1 lakh each as ex-gratia to the families of those killed in the accident and Rs 50,000 each to the injured.

Nagaland commissioner P.N. Mannen said a proper investigation was required to establish the assumption that human failure led to the tragedy.

“The government has ordered departmental and magisterial inquiries into the incident,” he said.

The number of casualties in road accidents in Nagaland was the lowest among the northeastern states in 2002.

“If mechanical failure is found to be the reason for the accident, corrective action will be initiated immediately. Several other aspects will be examined during the course of these inquiries,” Mannen said.

The government bus that met with the accident had a stand-by driver.

The Wokha deputy commissioner said arrangements had been made to send the victims’ bodies to their homes in Tuensang and Kohima districts.