RAMBAN, 5 July — At least 36 Amarnath pilgrims sustained minor injuries on Saturday morning after five buses in a convoy collided on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Chanderkoot in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district, officials said.
The incident occurred when a bus en route to the Pahalgam base camp from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed into two vehicles ahead of it, triggering a chain reaction that involved two more buses.
“The accident appears to have been caused by a mechanical failure in one of the buses, which then led to a pile-up,” a senior traffic official stationed at Chanderkoot told reporters. “Fortunately, all injuries were minor, and emergency treatment was provided on the spot.”
The convoy was part of the fourth batch of Amarnath pilgrims that began its journey early Saturday morning from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.
Authorities confirmed that the injured devotees were promptly given first aid, and the damaged buses were replaced without delay. “The yatra resumed shortly after replacement vehicles were arranged, and there was no significant disruption,” the official added.
According to the Jammu and Kashmir Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, 6,979 pilgrims comprising 5,196 men, 1,427 women, 24 children, 331 sadhus and sadhvis, and one transgender person were in the batch that departed between 3:30 am and 4:05 am.
Of these, 4,226 pilgrims were travelling in 161 vehicles towards the traditional 48-kilometre Pahalgam route, while 2,753 pilgrims took the shorter but more strenuous 14-kilometre Baltal route in 151 vehicles.
The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine, nestled in the Himalayas at over 3,800 metres, draws lakhs of devotees each year. Despite the early morning mishap, officials maintained that the situation was under control and that all pilgrims were safe.
“The spirit of the pilgrims remained high,” a shrine board spokesperson said. “Every possible step was taken to ensure their safety and timely continuation of the yatra.”
