GANDERBAL, Jul 28: At least 32 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were injured after a bus carrying them overturned and rolled into a roadside gorge along the S-Mode stretch at Hariganiwan in Gund area of Ganderbal district on Tuesday, officials said.
The accident occurred when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a steep and winding stretch of the road, causing the bus to overturn and plunge into the gorge.
A massive rescue operation was launched immediately by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army’s 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), CRPF 118 Battalion, 2 Assam Rifles, Yatra Police, and local volunteers.
The joint rescue teams successfully evacuated all passengers from the accident site and shifted the 32 injured pilgrims to nearby hospitals and health facilities for treatment.
Officials said the swift and coordinated response of the security forces and local residents helped avert a major tragedy.
Hospital authorities said the injured pilgrims are receiving medical care, while most of them are reported to have sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.
The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra continues under multi-layered security arrangements, with authorities reiterating their commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all pilgrims.
