J&K: 5 Amarnath Pilgrims Injured as Vehicle Crashes into Parked Truck in Udhampur

Jammu, Jul 18: Five Amarnath pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and their driver were injured after their vehicle rammed into a parked dumper truck on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district early Saturday, officials said.

The accident occurred near Jakhani around 5 am when the vehicle, part of a convoy carrying over 3,600 pilgrims to the holy Amarnath cave shrine, reportedly went out of the driver’s control and collided with the truck parked along the roadside.

The injured include five pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and the driver, a resident of Ganderbal district in Kashmir. All six were shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Udhampur, where they are undergoing treatment.

The injured pilgrims have been identified as Ansh (15), son of Rakesh Verma; Rakesh Kumar (44), son of Ram Naresh; Vishal Verma (21), son of Kamlesh Verma; Surjeet Kumar (20), son of Narinder; and Neerja Verma (33), daughter of Ram Naresh. They are residents of Lakhimpur and Sitapur districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Following the accident, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the situation and directed officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.

The Lieutenant Governor spoke with Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa and medical authorities to assess the condition of the injured pilgrims.

In a post on X, Sinha said senior officials had been instructed to provide all necessary assistance and ensure the injured receive the best treatment for their speedy recovery. He also prayed to Baba Barfani for the safety, well-being and smooth pilgrimage of all devotees. (Agencies)