"Three more persons lost their lives, taking the death count to 22 in yesterday's tragic bus accident in the district," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tahir Sajjad Bhat told PTI.
15 persons were killed on the spot whereas seven others seriously injured lost their lives on way to hospital.
The overcrowded bus was carrying 62 passengers when the mishap took place near Jyotipuram in the district yesterday evening.
"Moments before the accident the driver had stopped the bus to carry on more passengers who were waiting for another vehicle after their bus had developed some technical snag. The driver lost the control of the bus due to overcrowding and it fell into a gorge," the SSP said.
The seriously injured patients were airlifted to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital for treatment.