Kathmandu : At least 90 pilgrims, mostly Indians, were killed today when an overcrowded bus skidded off the road and plunged into the Gandak Canal in southern Nepal.

The bus was carrying135 Hindu pilgrims, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, to a temple in Nawalparasi district, 150 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu, police officials in Nawalparasi district said.

The accident site is located some 250 km south west of Kathmandu.

Most of the passengers were going to participate in the Bolbam festival in Tribenighat, they said.  Police has recovered bodies of 90 persons  from the accident site.

The identities of the deceased are not yet known.

The bus was overloaded, which might be the main reason of the accident, police said.