Chandigarh, Aug 17 (IANS): Over 45 pilgrims returning from the Hindu shrine of Vaishno Devi were rescued after the bus they were travelling in fell into an irrigation canal near Punjab's Madhopur town, police said on Monday.

The injured passengers, including the bus driver, were rushed to a civil hospital in Pathankot town, 250 km from here.

None of the passengers, mostly from Delhi and Haryana's Gurgaon, sustained serious injuries. The passengers were returning from the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in the neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir state after pilgrimage.

The accident accurred near the Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir border. The spot is about 15 km from Pathankot.

Police officials said the bus fell into the Upper Bari Doab canal late Sunday. The water level was lowered by Punjab irrigation department to help in rescue operations.

"We are looking into the reasons as to why the bus fell into the canal. The driver claimed that the brakes of the vehicle failed," a Punjab Police official said.

Passengers claimed that the bus was carried in the canal water current for some distance. However, the passengers were saved due to immediate rescue operations.