Security personnel gather near the wreckage after a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims skids off the road and plunged into a gorge
SRINAGAR: At least 39 Amarnath pilgrims, including 21 from Madhya Pradesh and 19 Rajasthan natives, were injured after their bus skidded off the road in Ganiwan in J&K’s Ganderbal district and slipped into a 50-foot-deep gorge on Tuesday morning. The fall was broken midway at around 25 feet by a house in a mountain hamlet below the road, preventing the vehicle from sliding further down the slope and averting a major tragedy, locals said.The devotees were heading back after visiting the holy cave shrine. The vehicle was moving from Baltal towards Srinagar when the accident occurred around 7 am near Ranga Morh, prompting a multi-agency rescue operation. Residents said the house belonged to Din Mohammad, who was away grazing sheep with his family at the time.J&K Police, CRPF, ITBP, health department and civil defence personnel rushed to the spot and launched a coordinated rescue operation, with assistance from locals. The injured were moved to SKIMS in Soura, Srinagar.J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited SKIMS, where doctors briefed him about the health condition of those injured. In an X post, Sinha said he instructed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the hospitalised pilgrims and arrangements for their safe return upon recovery. Health minister Sakeena Itoo also visited SKIMS and interacted with the injured pilgrims, assuring them of full govt support. She directed hospital authorities to monitor each patient’s condition and ensure round-the-clock availability of specialist doctors and essential healthcare services.This year’s Amarnath Yatra began on July 3. The 57-day annual pilgrimage will conclude on Aug 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. As of July 26, more than 4,14,000 pilgrims had completed the annual pilgrimage and offered prayers at the holy cave shrine.
