BANIHAL, Jul 16 (Agencies): A bus carrying Shri Amarnath Yatra pilgrims caught fire on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Karool in Ramban district on Wednesday. All 47 occupants, including the driver and conductor, were safely evacuated, officials said.
The sleeper bus (Registration No. RJ27PC-9921), carrying pilgrims from Rajasthan, was travelling from Srinagar to Jammu when it caught fire near Karool on NH-44.
Police, CRPF, Army personnel, SDRF, Civil QRT Ramban volunteers and other emergency teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue and firefighting operations. The passengers were evacuated in time, and no injuries were reported.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan, confirmed that all the pilgrims were safe. He said all 47 occupants, including the driver and conductor, escaped unhurt. According to the Deputy Commissioner, the bus caught fire soon after one of its tyres burst. He added that the pilgrims were being shifted to another bus for their onward journey to Jammu.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Traffic on the highway was briefly affected during the firefighting operation before normal movement was restored.