A total of 63 people, including women and children, were killed when a bus they were riding in caught fire in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, news reports said Wednesday.
The accident happened on Tuesday when a bus carrying a group of pilgrims from the Hindu holy town of Mathura to Sultanpur caught fire in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh, IANS news agency reported.
"The death of 63 people, including women and children, has been confirmed," Firozabad district magistrate Amit Gupta said.
Thirty-three passengers escaped with minor injuries, police said.
Several of the bodies recovered from the charred bus were burnt beyond recognition and it was difficult to identify them, a police official was quoted as saying.
The bus driver escaped unhurt and has been detained. "The driver is being questioned about the cause of the accident," a police official said.
He said witnesses saw huge sparks shooting from the rear of the bus before it caught fire.
Road accidents take a high toll of lives in India. In 2007, a total of 10,528 people died in road accidents, according to government statistics, reproted dpa.
