Thirty-nine Amarnath pilgrims were injured Tuesday after their tourist bus skidded off the road in Hariganiwan, Ganderbal [1].
The accident occurred during the annual Yatra pilgrimage, highlighting the hazardous terrain and logistical challenges of transporting large groups through the mountainous regions of Jammu and Kashmir.
The incident took place July 28, 2026 [2], when a single bus [3] lost traction and skidded off the roadway. Emergency responders launched a rescue operation to evacuate the passengers from the site. Personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and civil police coordinated the effort to reach the victims in the difficult terrain of the Ganderbal district [2].
Medical reports regarding the treatment of the injured vary. Some reports indicate that the victims were shifted to Kangan Hospital [4]. However, other reports citing Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the injured are being treated at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) [1].
Local authorities have not yet released a formal cause for the loss of traction beyond the bus skidding off the road [2]. The rescue operation focused on the rapid extraction of the 39 injured pilgrims [1] to ensure they received urgent medical attention.
The region's narrow roads and unpredictable weather often contribute to transit accidents during the peak of the Amarnath Yatra. Security forces remain deployed along the route to provide security, and emergency medical assistance to the thousands of pilgrims traveling toward the cave shrine.
“Thirty-nine Amarnath pilgrims were injured on Tuesday after their tourist bus skidded off the road.”
The accident underscores the persistent safety risks associated with the Amarnath Yatra, where high-altitude geography and narrow roads increase the likelihood of vehicular accidents. The involvement of multiple security agencies like the CRPF and ITBP in the rescue reflects the integrated security and civil administration approach required to manage the pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir.
