In an unfortunate incident, a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims falls into a gorge on Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district on Sunday. 16 people killed while 26 others were seriously injured in the fatal accident.
The deceased included two women and belonged to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Assam, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, they said. Sixteen of the injured persons were critical, the officials added.
According to police officials, 16 persons were killed and around 31 were injured in the accident. Out of them, 21 were airlifted in a chopper to Jammu for specialised treatment and 10 were shifted to a Srinagar hospital.
The bus was going to Pahalgam from Jammu when it skidded off the road, turned turtle and rolled down into the nullah at Nachlana belt of Ramban district.
"PM announced ex gratia of Rs. 2 lakhs for next of kin of those killed & Rs. 50,000 for those seriously injured, in the bus accident in J&K," tweeted PMO India.
PM announced ex gratia of Rs. 2 lakhs for next of kin of those killed & Rs. 50,000 for those seriously injured, in the bus accident in J&K.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 16, 2017
Home Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed his grief over the unfortunate bus accident. Singh also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti seeking details of the accident. He was informed by the CM that rescue operations are on and all the injured are being airlifted for treatment in Jammu.
Among 16 killed, most people are from Bihar. 20 of injured pilgrims have been airlifted for treatment in Jammu.
List of dead and injured in #AmarnathYatra bus accident. Most people who lost their lives are from Bihar. https://t.co/Zio2p95qtu pic.twitter.com/rfjjS0fJaW
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) July 16, 2017
#EXCLUSIVE video of #AmarnathYatra bus accident. https://t.co/Zio2p95qtu pic.twitter.com/g1EcGXVVA4
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) July 16, 2017
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to those who lost their lives and prayed for the speedy recovery of people injured in the bus accident.
"Extremely pained by the loss of lives of Amarnath Yatris due to a bus accident in J&K. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased," Modi tweeted.
Extremely pained by the loss of lives of Amarnath Yatris due to a bus accident in J&K. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 16, 2017
I pray that those injured in the bus accident in J&K recover soon.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 16, 2017
#BREAKING! Bus carrying #Amarnath Pilgrims falls into gorge, 10 killed, 35 others injured pic.twitter.com/RMaHmhz6NE
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) July 16, 2017
Earlier on Monday, Terrorists killed 8 Amaranth pilgrims, mostly women, and injured 19 others as they struck a bus in Kashmir's Anantnag district, in the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2001.
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