36 injured after 4 buses carrying Amarnath pilgrims collide in J&K

Four buses carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims collided early Friday near Chanderkot on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, injuring 36 passengers. The accident occurred after one of the buses suffered a brake failure, triggering a chain collision.

According to officials, the accident took place around the Chanderkot Langer site when the last vehicle in the Pahalgam-bound convoy lost control and rammed into vehicles ahead, which were stationary at the time. The collision damaged four buses and caused injuries to a total of 36 yatris, although most injuries were described as minor.

"The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging four vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris. The District Administration, already present at the site, immediately shifted the injured to DH Ramban," Deputy Commissioner of Ramban said on X.

Rescue operations were launched promptly, with local administration and police rushing to the site. The injured were transported to the District Hospital Ramban, where Deputy Commissioner Khan, DIG DKR Shridhar Patil, SSP Ramban Kulbir Singh, and ADC Varunjeet Singh Charak visited to oversee the treatment. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) was directed to provide the best possible care to the injured.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh spoke to Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan, regarding the Amarnath pilgrims accident.

"All arrangements for the pilgrims are in place and are being constantly supervised by the administration," he said on X.

After receiving medical attention, the affected yatris were shifted to other vehicles to continue their onward journey, Deputy Commissioner's X post confirmed.

The annual Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 with the first batches of pilgrims setting off from the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan towards the 3880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, which houses a naturally formed ice-lingam.

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