Twenty persons, most of them school children, were killed and 30 injured when a rail engine rammed into an Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) bus at an unmanned level crossing at Bothalapalem near Miryalaguda town in Nalgonda district, about 170 km from here this morning.

The mishap occurred as the speeding engine of a goods train hit the rear portion of the bus proceeding from Irikigudem to Miriyalguda town, police said.

There were contradictory reports on the number of dead. Police put the toll at 25, while a South Central Railway (SCR) spokesman said only 20 were killed and 19 of them had been identified. However, the RTC said only 19 were killed.

The majority of the 65 passengers in the bus were school children bound for Miriyalguda town to appear for supplementary exam, the Executive Director (Operations) of APSRTC, Dr Y Satyanarayana,said.

``We are yet to ascertain the exact cause of the mishap. The steep terrain at the unmanned level crossing might have blocked the view of the approaching engine,'' he said.

All the injured have been admitted to hospitals at Nalgonda and Miriyalguda, he said, adding that a special team of surgeons had been dispatched to assist the doctors there.

Meanwhile, 19 bodies including that of 13 students have been identified, a SCR release said.

In another mishap, 15 persons were killed and one was seriously injured when a mini bus, skidded off the road on the Mandi-Kullu National Highway and plunged into the Beas, about 9 km from Mandi.

The ill-fated bus was on its way from Kullu to Rewalsar (Mandi).

Only two bodies have been recovered.

The conductor of the bus, who suffered injuries, told The Indian Express that the steering got locked and the brake failed. He said the bus first hit the parapet, smashing it completely, and then plunged straight into the Beas.

The Government has ordered amagisterial inquiry into the accident.