31 Amarnath pilgrims injured as bus plunges into gorge in Ganderbal

GANDERBAL — Thirty-one Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were injured after a bus carrying them overturned and rolled into a gorge at the S-Mode stretch in the Hariganiwan area of Gund in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday.

Officials said the accident occurred when the bus lost control on the mountainous road before overturning and plunging into the gorge, leaving dozens of passengers injured.

A joint rescue operation was immediately launched by Gund Police under the supervision of Station House Officer (SHO) Rayees Ahmad, assisted by personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 118 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 2 Assam Rifles, 21 Rashtriya Rifles, Yatra Police and local residents.

All the injured pilgrims were safely evacuated from the accident site and shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

The injured pilgrims are residents of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Officials said all of them are receiving medical treatment, while the condition of the injured is being closely monitored.

Police have taken cognisance of the incident, and the exact cause of the accident is being investigated.