Jammu: Eight Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were injured on Friday in a road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district after a speeding truck collided with a car transporting them to the Pahalgam base camp, police said.
The incident occurred at the Battal Ballian area of Udhampur when the truck broke through a barricade manned by CISF personnel and rammed into the car. The impact pushed the truck over a divider before it crashed into a house wall, officials added.
The car was part of the 16th batch of 7,908 pilgrims that had departed from Jammu earlier that day for the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal.
All eight injured pilgrims were promptly shifted to a hospital. Doctors have confirmed their condition as stable. Three other occupants of the vehicle suffered only minor injuries.
Police have registered a case, seized the truck, and launched an investigation into the incident.
This marks the second such mishap in recent days. On July 13, nine pilgrims were injured after three buses collided near Khudwani crossing in Kulgam district on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. That crash occurred when a bus driver lost control and hit two other vehicles.
Meanwhile, the Amarnath Yatra, which had been briefly suspended from Jammu to the Valley due to weather concerns, resumed on Friday. Over 2.52 lakh pilgrims have undertaken the yatra so far, and officials estimate the total number may surpass 3.5 lakh this year.
The annual pilgrimage began on July 3 and will conclude on August 9 with the ceremonial arrival of the ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Holy Mace of Lord Shiva) at the cave shrine.
Located at an altitude of 3,888 meters in the Himalayas, the Amarnath cave houses a naturally formed ice stalagmite believed to represent Lord Shiva. Pilgrims reach the shrine via the longer traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district or the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Due to security protocols this year, no helicopter services are being offered for the Yatris.
