In a tragic accident, three Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers lost their lives, and dozens more were critically injured after the bus they were traveling in plunged into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district, police reported on Friday.

The incident occurred when a 52-seater bus, part of a seven-vehicle convoy, veered off a hilly road and fell 40 feet into a gorge.

The convoy was transporting BSF personnel for deployment ahead of the next phase of the assembly elections. A total of 35 BSF soldiers were on board the ill-fated bus.

The injured soldiers, all of whom are in critical condition, have been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Local authorities and emergency services are working on rescue and relief efforts.

Further details are awaited....