13 Amarnath pilgrims injured after their mini bus rams into parked truck, driver flees

Image Credit: ANI

JAMMU: At least thirteen Amarnath pilgrims were injured when their mini bus in which they were travelling in rammed into a stationary truck on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Thursday.

The driver of the mini bus fled from the spot after the mishap, according to ANI.

According to ANI, the pilgrims were part of a convoy carrying a fresh batch of 3,419 pilgrims including 680 women and 201 'sadhus' from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp to Kashmir to undertake the annual pilgrimage.

Speaking about the incident, SSP Udhampur Rayees Bhat said, "2-3 people are seriously injured but all the 13 people are stable."

J&K: Thirteen #Amarnath pilgrims injured after the mini bus they were traveling in rammed into a parked truck near Birma Bridge in Udhampur.
SSP Udhampur Rayees Bhat says, "2-3 people are seriously injured but all the 13 people are stable." pic.twitter.com/x5v9AuBlHV

— ANI (@ANI) July 12, 2018

Another J&K Police official said that the accident occurred near Dharma bridge in Mallard area of Udhampur district, about 70-km from Jammu, around 5.30 am when the driver of the tempo lost control and hit the parked truck.

Those injured in the incident were immediately rushed to a district hospital in Udhampur, the official said. 

Those seriously injured are being taken to the Government Medical College Hospital, he added.

While 10 of the injured pilgrims are residents of Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, three others are from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, the official said. 

Speaking to reporters about the mishap, Jitendra Singh, Udhampur MP and MoS in PMO said, ''We are in constant touch with DC Udhampur and administration since morning. All injured Amarnath pilgrims are out of danger and admitted to District Hospital. All necessary help is being provided to them. Most of them belong to Jhansi and surrounding parts of UP.'' 

Amid tight security, the fresh batch of pilgrims had left in a fleet of vehicles from here for the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal and Pahalgam in Anantnag district in the early hours Thursday to pay obeisance at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas.

Of them, 2,217 pilgrims opted for the traditional 36-km Pahalgam track, while 1,202 others are performing the yatra through the 12-km Baltal route, the official said. 

(With PTI inputs)