Two Amarnath pilgrims suffered head trauma among at least 30 people injured in a bus accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday. Officials said all the injured passengers were in stable condition.
The bus was carrying nearly 40 pilgrims when the driver lost control near Hariganiwan in the Gund area. The accident took place close to the S-Mode stretch, officials said.
Amarnath Yatra bus crashes near Hariganiwan
“The accident occurred when the driver of the Yatri bus bearing registration number AR11 D5655 lost control of the wheel near Hariganiwan, after which the vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a gorge,” officials said.
Police personnel, State Disaster Response Force teams and local volunteers rushed to the area and began rescuing passengers from the vehicle.
Around 30 injured pilgrims were taken to a hospital in Kangan for treatment.
Two of them had suffered head trauma. Their condition was stable, officials said. The remaining injured passengers were also reported to be out of danger.
Police have taken cognisance of the accident and begun an investigation.
Officials said the inquiry would seek to establish what caused the driver to lose control of the bus.
Over 4.26 lakh pilgrims visit Amarnath cave shrine
The accident occurred as the number of pilgrims visiting the Amarnath cave shrine this season crossed 4.26 lakh.
Officials said 11,996 pilgrims performed darshan through the Baltal route on Monday. This took the total number of pilgrims visiting the shrine during the first 25 days of the Yatra to 4,26,339.
The 57-day pilgrimage began on July 3.
Another batch of 3,029 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Baltal base camp in an escorted convoy on Tuesday morning.
The pilgrimage through the Pahalgam route remained suspended for the day because of track maintenance.
Chhari Mubarak rituals scheduled in Pahalgam
The Bhoomi Pujan, Navgrah Puja and Dhwajarohan ceremonies of the Chhari Mubarak are scheduled to be performed in Pahalgam on Ashadha Purnima on July 29.
Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of the Chhari Mubarak, will conduct the traditional ceremonies.
During its return journey, the holy mace will be taken to the Martand Sun Temple at Mattan. Puja will be performed at the temple before a ceremonial dip in the holy spring.
The Chhari Mubarak will also visit the Ganeshbal temple near Pahalgam for traditional prayers.