A van carrying Amarnath pilgrims met with an accident near Chandanwari in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, leaving at least two persons injured, officials said on Sunday.
“Today, a van carrying Shri Amarnath Ji Yatris met with an accident near Chandanwari. The pilgrims sustained serious head injuries & were promptly evacuated by the #BSF QRT (Quick Response Team) to a nearby hospital,” the Border Security Force (BSF) said in a post on X.
“The quick response of BSF saved the precious lives of the pilgrims,” the BSF added.
Though BSF did not mentioned the number of people injured in the accident, visuals showed two of the pilgrims, including a woman could be seen admitted in the hospital. Their identities were not confirmed.
Earlier in the day, another batch of pilgrims left from the Pantha Chowk base camp for the Amarnath yatra amid tightened security.
Visuals showed queues of cars crossing the Pantha Chowk base camp’s police checkpoints.
Rajesh Gupta, a pilgrim from Delhi, said, “This is my second yatra to worship Baba Bholenath. I am very happy and excited about this. All the facilities, including the security provided by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the camps made for the pilgrims, are very good.”
Krishna Kumar, who made his 25th journey to Amarnath today, said, “I am very happy. During COVID-19, I traveled via the helicopter route. The transportation and camp facilities are very good. Everyone from the military has cooperated with us properly. It is only because of their cooperation that we can complete our journey properly.”
Another pilgrim from Jammu, Ajay Khajuria, said, “We are going to Baltal right now. The security is very good. We are very happy for the journey ahead.”
The annual yatra, which lasts for 45 days, is a major concern for the government amid the recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
The administration has left no stone unturned to ensure the safety and well-being of the pilgrims amidst the heightening concerns and the challenging terrain of the route. (ANI)
