At least 36 Amarnath pilgrims sustained minor injuries on Saturday after three buses in their convoy collided near Chanderkoot in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district. Officials said the convoy was en route to the Pahalgam base camp in south Kashmir from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar when the incident occurred along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Preliminary reports indicate the accident was triggered by brake failure in one of the buses, which then rammed into two other vehicles. The injured were given immediate medical attention. The damaged buses were replaced, and the convoy continued its journey without further delay.
The accident involved the fourth batch of Amarnath pilgrims, numbering 6,979. This group included 5,196 men, 1,427 women, 24 children, 331 sadhus and sadhvis, and one transgender pilgrim. They departed from Bhagwati Nagar between 3:30 am and 4:05 am in two convoys.
Of these, 4,226 pilgrims travelled in 161 vehicles toward the Nunwan base camp to begin the 48-kilometre traditional Pahalgam route, while 2,753 pilgrims took 151 vehicles toward the Baltal base camp, preparing for the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre trek.
Dr. Mohammed Rafi, In-charge Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Ramban, confirmed that 36 pilgrims were injured after a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra devotees collided with another vehicle in the district.
“We received a total of 36 injured patients. All have been treated here, and we did not need to refer anyone to another hospital,” Dr. Rafi said.
He added that 10 patients have already been discharged, and nearly all the remaining will be discharged within the next hour. The incident occurred along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, where the convoy was headed toward the Pahalgam base camp.
With inputs from agencies