Bhubaneswar: At least 30 people were killed and eight injured when a bus carrying over 40 artistes of an opera team fell down a 300-feet gorge in Odisha's Deogarh district on Sunday evening, officials said. Fire services DG Binay Behera said 27 bodies had been recovered from the spot during the rescue operations while three people died while being rushed to the district headquarters hospital.

The bus of the Bharati Gananatya opera party was returning to Remta in Bargarh district from Deogarh while fell into the gorge off the Tilaebani Gaelo ghat, Deogarh Superintendent of Police Sarah Sharma told media persons. Rescue operations have been intensified with the help of fire officials, Odisha Disaster Response Force (ODRAF), police personnel and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers, she informed.