At least six people were killed and 12 others injured Thursday after a bus carrying them skidded off a mountainous road and fell into a gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The accident took place at Lambai in Rajouri district, about 180 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Six persons are reported to have been killed and around a dozen injured in a bus accident today at Lambari in Rajouri," a senior police official said. "The injured were taken to hospital."

According to police, the bus from adjacent Poonch district was heading toward Jammu city, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Police officials have registered a case and ordered investigations to ascertain the reason behind the accident.

Deadly road accidents are common in India often due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving.

Officials say on an average over 400 deaths take place every day in India due to road accidents.