At least 38 people, including 12 women and four children, were killed and 40 others injured when an overloaded bus carrying pilgrims from the Saptashringi shrine in the district fell into a gorge at Nanduri near Nasik.

The accident occurred on Sunday night at around 10.30 pm when the bus skidded off the road and fell into a 600-feet gorge after the driver lost control, Nasik Superintendent of Police Nikhil Gupta said.

"The private luxury bus was overloaded and was carrying 76 people. According to the survivors, the driver had been driving the bus for four continuous days," he said.

The bus was on a tour of shrines in the district and was on its way back to Nasik.

The victims hailed from Mumbai's Warali suburb.

Nasik District Magistrate Yash Seturanchaoplingam said the bus fell into the gorge while negotiating a hairpin bend.

The bus broke into two parts due to the impact of the collision.

The injured, including the driver, have been admitted to Kalwan, Vani and Nasik civil hospitals, he said.

District Collector S Chokalingam said rescue operations were going on and seven to eight ambulances have been rushed to the spot.

The bodies of those killed in the mishap have been shifted to the Nasik civil hospital.

The toll may go up as the condition of the some of the injured persons is critical.