Today, 16 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were killed and 26 got grievously injured in a bus accident returning from Amarnath Yatra shrine. The incident took place when the bus in which pilgrims were travelling plunged into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district authorities said. The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corp bus was on its way to Kashmir Valley from Jammu, when the driver reportedly lost control over the vehicle at Nichnala near Banihal town on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
“Sixteen pilgrims were killed on the spot while 26 others have been injured,” a police officer said. The deceased comprised 14 men and two women. Of the injured, five were taken to Srinagar, 19 others airlifted to the Government Medical College Super Speciality Hospital in Jammu, and two were being treated in Banihal hospital.
The spokesman said the bus carried 43 persons including the driver. Army, police and paramilitary forces launched a rescue operation which was joined by locals, who helped to take out the injured pilgrims from the wreckage site. Army helicopters flew the injured to Jammu city. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the accident. Modi tweeted “Extremely pained by the loss of lives of Amarnath yatris… My thoughts are with the families of the deceased. I pray that those injured recovers soon.” Whereas Rajnath Singh tweeted he spoke to Mehbooba Mufti regarding the accident. She apprised him about the rescue operations. He further said that “My heart goes out to the families of the Amarnath yatris who lost their loved ones in the bus accident. My prayers are with the injured,”. This is the second tragedy to hit the Amarnath pilgrimage since militants ambushed a bus on July 10, killing eight people. The Amarnath hill shrine, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located more than 3,800 meters above sea level in Anantnag district.
I pray that those injured in the bus accident in J&K recover soon.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 16, 2017
Extremely pained by the loss of lives of Amarnath Yatris due to a bus accident in J&K. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 16, 2017
Helpline numbers to enquire about Amarnath Yatris travelling in the bus that met with accident in Ramban, J&K.
0191-2560401 & 0191-2542000— HMO India (@HMOIndia) July 16, 2017
My heart goes out to the families of Amarnath Yatris who lost their loved ones in the bus accident. My prayers are with the injured. 3/3
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 16, 2017
Mehboobaji has apprised me of the ongoing rescue operations. The injured Amarnath Yatris are being airlifted for treatment in Jammu. 2/3
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 16, 2017
Spoke to J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftiji regarding the unfortunate accident of the bus carrying Amarnath Yatris near Ramban. 1/3
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 16, 2017
