Police say a bus has caught fire after falling into a ditch along a highway in eastern India and casualties are feared. The Press Trust of India news agency says 20 people are feared dead in Thursday's accident in Bihar state.

Police officer Upendra Sharma confirmed the accident and said rescue work is continuing near Motihari, a town in Bihar state. The bus was on its way to New Delhi from Muzaffarpur, another town in the state.

More than 110,000 people are killed annually on India's roads. Most accidents are attributed to reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.

In January, 43 people were killed when a bus fell into a canal in eastern West Bengal state when its driver was talking on his cellphone.