Pune/UNI: Twelve people have died, and several others injured after the bus they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Maharashtra's Raigad on Saturday morning, police said.

The 25 others were seriously injured when a private bus in which they were traveling fell into a deep gorge near Shingroba temple in Borghat on the old Mumbai- Pune Highway this morning.

Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police Raigad district said that the incident took place near Shingroba temple when a private bus carrying nearly 45 passengers fell into a deep gorge. The relief work is underway and injured are being treated at Khopoli rural hospitals, said Raigad SP in a statement.

He further said that Hikers group, IRB teams are providing relief work to victims and doctors from the private hospitals have been called for help, he added. The passengers were returning to Goregaon Mumbai after attaining the program in Pune, police said.

Many passengers are still feared to have been struck in the valley and rescue operations are underway, police added.

The exact reason of the accident was not yet ascertained, but preliminary information has revealed that the driver of the has lost control over the vehicle which resulted in the death of more than 12 passengers and several injured, said police.