• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Bus carrying 39 Amarnath pilgrims crashed in Ganderbal.
  2. House stopped bus from falling into Sindh River.
  3. All injured pilgrims stable, treated at SKIMS Srinagar.

A bus carrying pilgrims returning from the Amarnath Yatra met with a horrific accident on Tuesday in Hariganiwan, Ganderbal district. The bus lost control while taking a sharp turn, skidded off the road, and crashed into a house. The collision stopped the bus from falling into the Sindh River, saving the lives of all 39 pilgrims onboard.

However, all 39 pilgrims were injured in the accident. 22 of them are from Rajasthan, while the remaining pilgrims are from Madhya Pradesh. All the injured have been admitted to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, in Srinagar. They are currently reported to be in stable condition.

According to police, the driver of the bus (AR-11D-5655), which was returning from the Amarnath Yatra, lost control at the dangerous S-turn in Hariganiwan, located in the Gund area of Ganderbal. The bus skidded off the road and crashed into a house. Officials said that if the house had not come in the way, the bus could have plunged into the Sindh River through the deep ravine, leading to a much bigger tragedy.

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Relief And Rescue Operations Launched

Locals were the first to reach the accident site and immediately began rescue operations. They pulled out pilgrims trapped inside the bus and shifted them to the Kangan Sub-District Hospital with the help of ambulances.

Later, teams from Gund Police, ITBP, CRPF’s 118th Battalion, 2 Assam Rifles, 21 Rashtriya Rifles, and Yatra Police jointly carried out rescue and relief operations. After providing first aid, all the injured were referred to SKIMS, Soura.

According to hospital sources, several devotees suffered head and body injuries, but none of them is in critical condition. A team of doctors is continuously monitoring the condition of all injured pilgrims.

Chief Minister, Lieutenant Governor Express Concern

After receiving information about the accident, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo reached SKIMS and inquired about the condition of the injured pilgrims. 

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep concern over the accident and directed the Health Department to provide the best possible treatment to the injured.

“Chief Minister has expressed deep concern over the road accident at Gund, Kangan, in which several pilgrims returning to Srinagar after performing the Yatra were injured. He has directed that the injured be provided the best possible medical care and deputed Health Minister @sakinaitoo to visit SKIMS and oversee their treatment.” CMO said in a X post.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed the hospital administration to ensure there was no negligence in treatment. 

“Today, visited SKIMS, Srinagar, to inquire about the health and well-being of pilgrims of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, who were injured in the unfortunate road accident in Ganiwan, Ganderbal. By the grace of Baba Amarnath, all 39 Yatris admitted this morning are currently in stable condition and responding well to treatment. I have directed the hospital administration to provide the highest standard of medical care to the injured. The senior officials have been instructed to ensure that all necessary assistance and personal care are extended to the pilgrims, and that arrangements for their safe return to their hometowns are prioritised upon their recovery,” Sinha said.

The administration also assured that arrangements would be made to safely send the pilgrims back to their home states after recovery.

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According to locals, the L-shaped bend in Hariganiwan has long been known as an accident-prone spot, with several mishaps reported there in the past. Deen Mohammad, the owner of the house hit by the bus, was away grazing cattle at the time of the accident, which saved his life. However, the house suffered significant damage.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the bus belonged to an Ajmer-based travel company and was hired by an agent of Mandsaur’s Maa Bhagwati Yatra Company for the Amarnath Yatra. Four buses from the company were part of the pilgrimage, and one of them met with the accident. Police are investigating the exact cause of the crash.


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