Jammu (Rajeev Sharma): A road accident involving a bus carrying Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims claimed the life of one devotee and left three others injured on the Pathankot-Jammu National Highway late Thursday night. The collision occurred near the Sujanpur railway overbridge when a trailer allegedly rammed the side of the passenger bus.
The deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Anshul Gehlot from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. According to police, he sustained critical injuries after being thrown out of the bus during the impact. He was taken to a nearby private hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Officials said the bus was transporting around 39 pilgrims who were returning home after completing the annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine. Passengers claimed the trailer was moving at high speed and attempted to overtake dangerously before striking the bus.
The collision shattered several window panes, creating panic among those on board. Three passengers suffered minor injuries from the broken glass and the impact of the crash. They received first aid and are reported to be out of danger.
Police teams from Sujanpur reached the accident site soon after receiving information and shifted the damaged vehicles off the highway to restore traffic movement. Authorities have also seized both the trailer and the bus as part of the investigation.
Based on preliminary findings and eyewitness accounts, a case has been registered against the trailer driver, identified as Iqbal Shah of Rajasthan’s Bikaner district. Investigators are examining whether overspeeding and reckless driving led to the fatal accident.
Following the completion of legal formalities and a post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital, the victim’s body was handed over to his family.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of vehicles carrying pilgrims on national highways, with authorities urging commercial vehicle drivers to exercise greater caution, particularly during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra season when hundreds of buses carrying devotees travel through the region every day.
