25 Amarnath pilgrims sustain minor injuries in J&K road accident

Jammu, July 5 (IANS) Twenty-five Amarnath Yatra pilgrims sustained minor injuries on Saturday as four buses collided with each other in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district.

Officials stated that one of the bus drivers of the Amarnath Yatra convoy lost control of the vehicle, reportedly due to a brake failure.

"This led to the collision between four buses in the convoy near Chandrakote Yatri Langar on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district," the officials added.

Police and Health Department rescue teams responded promptly, and the injured were shifted to the Ramban district hospital.

Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Ilyas Khan, visited the Ramban district hospital and enquired about the condition of the injured.

The Deputy Commissioner said 25 pilgrims sustained minor injuries when four vehicles in the Yatra convoy collided with each other.

The Deputy Commissioner said all the injured are being discharged after first aid.

"Alternate transport arrangements have been made so that the injured passengers can continue their journey after discharge from the hospital," the officials said.

Since the 38-day-long Yatra started on July 3, over 26,800 pilgrims have performed the Yatra in two days.

Another batch of 6,979 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for Kashmir on Saturday in two escorted convoys of 312 vehicles.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made for this year's Yatra as it takes place after the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam in which Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them based on faith.

An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed to augment the existing strength of the Army, Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, Central Reserve Police Force and the local police to provide a secure passage to the pilgrims.

The entire motorable road from Jammu to the two base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam, as well as both treks from the base camps to the holy cave shrine, are guarded 24/7 by security forces.

--IANS

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