Ganderbal, Jammu & Kashmir: At least 39 pilgrims returning from the Amarnath Yatra were injured as they skidded off the road and crashed into a house in the Kangan area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Tuesday, officials said.
The accident occurred near Hariganwan when the driver lost control of the speeding bus as it turned around in a curve of the mountainous route, officials said. The bus veered off the road and crashed into a house, causing extensive damage.
STORY | 39 injured as bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims skids off road in J-K
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 28, 2026
At least 39 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were injured when their speeding bus skidded off the road in the Kangan area of Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Tuesday, officials said.
The bus fell… pic.twitter.com/jFYuLHtnh4
Fortunately, there was no one in the house at the time of the crash, preventing what could have been a much worse disaster. The house was a barrier to the bus rolling into the Sindh River, officials said.
The injured pilgrims had just left Amarnath Cave Shrine and were on their way back when the accident occurred. All 39 passengers were injured to varying degrees and were immediately rescued by residents, security personnel, and emergency response teams.
The injured were evacuated from the accident site and rushed to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. Doctors are assessing their condition, while authorities are assessing the extent of injuries suffered by the passengers.
Local people and security forces were quick to react, and rescue and medical help were immediately available at the time of the crash, residents said.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha enquired about the injured pilgrims and directed officials to provide the best possible medical treatment. He also instructed the district administration and health authorities to do everything possible for the injured.
The Amarnath Yatra is one of India’s major Hindu pilgrimages, and thousands of people go there every year to perform the pilgrimage. Anyone who visits the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva in Kashmir is in an extremely dangerous environment, as the weather can be very unpredictable in the area.
Himalayan road accidents are still an issue because high gradients, sharp bends, and changing weather conditions lead to highway accidents in the Himalayan region. Pilgrims who are also going to be transported by bus are urged to keep the speed limit and to take great care in the mountainous region.
Police are investigating the cause of the accident. Preliminary evidence indicates the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating the curve; speed, mechanical failure, and road conditions may be among the causes of the crash, and police are looking into it.
The administration will take any measures to help the injured pilgrims and their families. Safety measures along the pilgrimage path will also be reviewed to prevent any such incident from happening while the Amarnath Yatra is going on.
The crash is an eye-opener to road safety in mountainous areas and in large-scale pilgrimages in which thousands of people are going to the mountains every day, raising concerns about road safety when traveling to the mountains.
