Thirty passengers were killed in a fire on Sunday after a bus fell into a roadside pit and immediately caught on fire in Chitradurga district, south India's Karnataka, police said.

The bus, which belonged to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, was on the way to Bangalore from Surpur in Gulbarga district when it hit a stone and fell into the pit at Challakere, some 200 km from the state capital New Delhi.

"The bus immediately caught on fire and most of the victims were charred beyond recognition," local police said.

At least 64 passengers, including 10 children, were traveling on the bus when the accident happened.

Twenty-nine other passengers were injured and they are being treated at a government hospital in nearby Chitradurga town.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa expressed shock and grief over the tragedy and announced 100,000 rupees (2,000 U.S. dollars) as immediate compensation to the families of the dead and 25,000 rupees (500 U.S. dollars) to the injured.

The state government has blamed driver's negligence for the incident.

Road accidents rate in India is among the highest in world, with at least 100,000 people killed each year on average.