Over 19,000 perform darshan, 47 pilgrims survive as bus catches fire at Ramban

LG reviews situation, speaks to DC, others

Avtar Bhat

JAMMU, July 16: While over 19,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir district of Anantnag on Thursday, 47 Amarnath Ji pilgrims from Rajasthan on way to Jammu after having darshan at cave shrine had a narrow escape after their bus caught fire on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway at Ramban today.

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Officials said 19,357 pilgrims drawn from different parts of country paid obeisance at 3888 meter high Himalayan cave on 14th day of Darshan from twin tracks of Baltal and Pahalgam today.

With this, a total number of 3,43,882 pilgrims from different parts of country and abroad had visited holy cave in last 14 days since the 57-day-long Yatra started on July 3, officials said.

They said a bus carrying pilgrims of the Amarnath yatra caught fire on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Ramban district on Thursday, prompting a swift rescue operation in which all 47 occupants were evacuated safely.

The sleeper bus carrying pilgrims from Rajasthan was on its way to Jammu from Srinagar, after the devotees had paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine, when it caught fire near Karool on the Highway, they said.

Officials said the passengers noticed smoke after one of the bus tyres reportedly burst and quickly disembarked before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Army personnel, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Fire and Emergency Services and volunteers of the Civil Quick Response Team (QRT) rushed to the spot and launched rescue and firefighting operations.

Ramban Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Alyas Khan said all 47 occupants, including the driver and conductor, escaped unhurt.

“The pilgrims were safely evacuated and are being shifted to another bus for their onward journey to Jammu,” the Deputy Commissioner said.

The blaze completely destroyed the bus, officials said, adding that the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, though preliminary information suggested it broke out after a tyre burst.

Traffic on the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained affected for a brief period during the firefighting operation before normal movement was restored, they added.

Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha reviewed the situation after a Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra bus from Rajasthan caught fire at Karol in Ramban due to tyre burst while returning from the holy cave.

The Lieutenant Governor spoke with the Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan and senior officials, and directed them to provide immediate assistance to the affected Yatris.

In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said: “I have reviewed the situation with senior officials and Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, after a Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra pilgrim bus from Rajasthan returning after Darshan caught fire at Karol due to a tyre burst. By Lord Shiva’s grace, all pilgrims are safe. I have directed the Ramban district administration to provide immediate assistance to the Yatris and arrange for their safe travel back to Rajasthan.”

Meanwhile amid tight security escort, the fifteenth batch of pilgrims of over 5,000 devotees left Jammu on Thursday for the twin base camps of the annual Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir.

The fresh batch of pilgrims 5,201 had 92 Sadhus, nine Sadhvis, 3970 men, 1124 women, 5 children, and one transperson left in a convoy of 251 vehicles escorted by CRPF and police.

Officials said the convoy departed in two separate groups. The Baltal convoy, carrying 1,745 pilgrims in 74 vehicles left at 3 am, while the Pahalgam convoy, comprising 3,456 pilgrims in 177 vehicles, departed at 3.30 am, they said.

With Thursday’s departure, a total of 1,04,488 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir since the yatra commenced on July 2.

The Bhagwati Nagar base camp echoed with chants of “Bam Bam Bhole”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Barfani Baba Ki” as devotees set out on the pilgrimage. Many pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra.

The 57-day annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine is scheduled to conclude on August 28.