Jammu (PTI): Twenty-five passengers were killed and three critically injured when a bus fell into the Chenab river in Kishtwar district on Thursday.

The Kishtwar-bound bus skidded off the road and fell into the river at Kandni-Phagumarh area around 1230 hours, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Doda-Ramban-Kishtwar range, Himant Lohia told PTI.

Twenty-five bodies have far been fished out and three critically injured persons airlifted to Government Medical College Hospital here.

According to eye witnesses, there were more than 30 passengers travelling in the bus.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is currently on a tour of Karnataka, expressed grief over the mishap and has asked traffic authorities to take stringent measures to check recurrence of such accidents.

"Frequency of road mishaps in the state is a cause of serious concern. The traffic department should take adequate and stringent measures to check the recurrence of road accidents," Azad said.

He has asked the divisional administration to immediately rush rescue and relief teams to the site of accident, an official spokesman said in Srinagar.