Thirty-five persons were feared dead as a State-run bus skidded off the road and fell into a 1,000-metre deep gorge near Mallu area in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh on Monday evening. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation bus, carrying about 40 persons, was on its way from Palampur to Ashapuri temple when it fell down from a hilltop on Palampur - Ashapuri road, 40-km from the spot. The number of casualties was likely to be high, they said. Darkness and soil, which has become slippery due to heavy rain in the area, is hampering the rescue operation as trudging on steep and slippery slopes was risky. So far only one body has been recovered but the chances of survival of passengers were very remote, officials said.