Raipur: Five persons were killed and 26 others injured when a passenger bus plunged into a 50-ft deep ditch in Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh, police said today.

The incident occurred at Pendari Ghat valley when the bus was proceeding from Ambikapur to Baidhan late last evening, Surajpur Superintendent of Police Prakhar Pandey said. When the bus, belonging to a private travel agency, reached near the hilly region of Chandora Police Station area, located around 400 kms away from the state capital, the driver failed to negotiate a curve on the slope of the Ghat following which the bus fell into the ditch, Pandey said.