Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Udhampur | July 18 : The least four Amarnath pilgrims were injured in a road accident on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Saturday after the vehicle in which they were travelling collided with a stationary dumper parked along the roadside.

The accident took place at Sangoor Chowk in Udhampur when a Toyota Innova carrying pilgrims bound for the Baltal base camp crashed into the rear of a dumper that had been parked on the side of the highway. The impact of the collision caused injuries to at least four occupants of the vehicle, triggering an immediate rescue operation by local authorities and emergency responders.

Police and rescue personnel quickly reached the accident site and shifted the injured pilgrims to the Associated Hospital of Government Medical College (GMC), Udhampur, where they were admitted for treatment. Hospital authorities began providing medical care immediately after the victims were brought to the facility. While the pilgrims sustained injuries in the collision, officials said they received timely medical attention.

The Toyota Innova was travelling towards Baltal, one of the two base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, when it rammed into the stationary dumper on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway. The circumstances leading to the collision are yet to be determined, and investigators are examining all possible factors that may have contributed to the accident.

The incident, police registered a case and launched a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the crash. Officials are expected to examine the condition of both vehicles, the circumstances under which the dumper was parked on the roadside, and whether any traffic or safety regulations were violated.

The Jammu–Srinagar National Highway serves as the primary road link connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country and experiences heavy traffic during the annual Amarnath pilgrimage. Thousands of devotees travel along this route every year on their way to the sacred Amarnath cave shrine through the Baltal and Pahalgam routes.

Authorities have repeatedly appealed to drivers and pilgrims to exercise caution while travelling on the busy highway, particularly during the pilgrimage season when vehicle movement increases significantly. Road safety measures remain a priority for the administration to ensure the smooth and secure movement of pilgrims undertaking the annual religious journey.

The investigation into Saturday's accident is ongoing, and police are expected to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the collision. Officials have not yet released further details regarding the identities of the injured pilgrims or the extent of their injuries.