Amarnath Yatra – Five Pilgrims Hurt in Udhampur Highway Accident
Amarnath Yatra – Five pilgrims travelling for the Amarnath Yatra were injured after their vehicle met with an accident on Friday morning near Toldi Nallah along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district.
Pilgrims were travelling towards Pahalgam route
The group had reportedly started its journey from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu and was heading towards Pahalgam, one of the main access routes for devotees visiting the Amarnath cave shrine. The incident took place while the vehicle was moving through the Udhampur stretch of the national highway.
Authorities have not immediately shared further details about the cause of the accident. Emergency response teams reached the area and arranged medical assistance for the injured passengers.
Injured devotees shifted to Udhampur hospital
All five injured pilgrims were taken to Government Medical College Hospital in Udhampur for treatment. Hospital authorities are providing medical care, while officials continue to monitor their condition.
The accident occurred during the ongoing annual pilgrimage, which draws devotees from different parts of the country. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remains a key travel corridor for pilgrims moving from Jammu towards Pahalgam and Baltal, the two principal routes leading to the shrine.
Ninth batch leaves Jammu amid security arrangements
Meanwhile, the ninth group of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims left from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu under security cover. The administration has continued to organise departures in batches, with registration, accommodation, transport coordination and security checks being managed at the base camp.
A devotee who arrived in Jammu on Thursday said the registration process was completed smoothly on Friday morning. The pilgrim praised the arrangements made for travellers and said security personnel were carrying out their responsibilities carefully throughout the journey.
Devotees praise facilities at the Jammu base camp
Another pilgrim, who said they had been undertaking the yatra for around 12 years, described the arrangements as improved compared with earlier visits. The devotee said pilgrims now receive stronger support from the administration, security forces, Border Security Force personnel and Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Officials have maintained heightened security and logistical support for the pilgrimage, particularly along major transit points and routes used by yatris. Medical facilities, traffic management and emergency response systems are also being kept in place to assist pilgrims during the journey.
The Amarnath Yatra is among India’s major annual religious pilgrimages, with devotees travelling to the cave shrine in the Himalayas to offer prayers. Authorities regularly issue travel advisories and organise movement in regulated batches to ensure safer passage through the mountainous terrain.