Srinagar: At least 16 Amarnath pilgrims were Sunday killed while 35 others sustained injuries when a bus they were travelling fell into a deep gorge on Srinagar-Jammu highway at Banihal, officials said.
Officials according to KNS correspondent said that a Yatri bus heading towards Srinagar met with an accident after a tyre burst at Nachilana on the highway. “The bus fell into the gorge and resulted in the on spot death of 16 pilgrims,” he said.
They said that 35 others have sustained injuries as well among which 26 are critical.
Out of 16 deceased pilgrims, the 14 were identified as Dheeraj Kumar, son of Rajinder, resident of Seharpur near Modinagar Ghaziabad, Ranjit Kumar, son of Suresh Chowdhary, resident of Donapur Tank Patna, Ravinder Singh, son of Raghubur Singh, resident of Indrapuri Modinagar Ghaziabad up, Chanpati Devi, wife of Selanath Singh, resident of Danapur Sultanpur Patna Bihar, Rekha Devi, wife of Serga Satrudan Sharma, resident of Danapur Patna Bihar, Danesh Kumar, son of Bawami Kumar, resident of Rajasthan, Ganesh Das, son of Gupal Das, resident of Asam Goti, Vijay Chorara, son of Souriya Narayan, resident of Shersha Bihar, Rajit Kumar, son of Vijay Chorara, resident of Shersha Bihar, Vijay Dhar, son of Gopal Dhar, resident of Ghotayi Asam, Chetan Mishra, son of Rajinder Mishra, resident of Fareedabad Hariyana, Vipol Joshi, son of Dalep Joshi, resident of Indoor Madhya Pradesh, Gori Sharma, son of Fateh Chand Sharma, resident of Nagar Baratpur Rajasthan, Hari Om Sharma, son of Siyaram Sharma, resident of Sekri Tehsilnagar Baratpur Rajasthan.
The officials said that the injured yatris have been airlifted to Jammu Medical College.
Meanwhile, Governor N N Vohra visited the spot by helicopter to meet the injured yatris there.
J&K Police establishes helpline
For any queries and information regarding the injured persons in the road accident of Amarnath yatra vehicle at National Highway Banihal, please contact SDPO Zadibal on 9419000200, SHO Soura on 9596770587, SHO Karan Nagar on 9596770527 or Police Control Room Kashmir on 0194-2506504-07.
Jammu Helpline numbers for the information regarding the injured persons are GMC Bakshi Nagar Jammu 0191-2532000, 2560401, GMC Jammu 2585444, D.C. Jammu 2571912, SHO Bakshi Nagar 9419151378, SDPO 9622222449.
As has been reported that a vehicle bearing registration number JK02Y-0594 met with an accident at Banihal in which 16 pilgrims died and 27 were injured. The injured have been referred to SKIMS and SMHS hospital for further treatment. (KNS)
