Jammu, July 10 (IANS) Five pilgrims of the ongoing Shri Amarnathji Yatra were injured on Friday in a road accident on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Udhampur district.

Officials said on Friday that five Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were injured, one of them critically, after a vehicle they were travelling in met with an accident on the Udhampur-Chenani stretch of National Highway-44 near Toldi Nallah early in the morning.

Officials said the accident involving an Ertiga vehicle bearing registration No. MP13ZY-2836 took place at about 6.10 A.M. All five injured people are Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh.

“Among them, one lady has suffered critical injuries,” officials said. CRPF 137 Battalion, Gorkha 4/3, Civil Defence, Traffic Police and Jammu & Kashmir Police rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.

The injured were promptly shifted to Associated Hospital, Government Medical College, Udhampur for treatment.

Confirming the incident, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said he spoke to DC Udhampur, Minga Sherpa after receiving the report of the accident.

“Just now spoke to DC Udhampur Minga Sherpa after receiving the report of a private motor vehicle from Madhya Pradesh, enroute to Amarnath Yatra, having met with a road accident near Toldi Nallah on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway,” Dr. Singh posted.

He added that five people received injuries, “out of whom one woman has been critically injured and therefore immediately referred to Government Medical College Jammu.”

“Every possible assistance is being provided. My office is in constant touch,” the Minister said.

Dr Jitendra Singh is also the sitting Lok Sabha member for the Kathua-Udhampur constituency in J&K.

Since the Yatra started on July 3, so far over 1.60 lakh Yatris have performed the ongoing pilgrimage. Over 8,000 pilgrims left for the Valley from Jammu today in two escorted convoys for Nunwan and Baltal base camps.

The 57-day-long SANJY-2026 will conclude on August 28 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.

–IANS

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