At least 36 Amarnath pilgrims suffer minor wounds in bus collision in J&K's Ramban
Ramban/Jammu (PTI): At least 36 Amarnath pilgrims suffered minor injuries when five buses slammed into each other in Ramban district on Saturday, officials said.
The buses were part of a convoy headed for Pahalgam base camp in south Kashmir from Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar.
The accident took place near Chanderkoot, along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, at around 8:00 am, officials said.
They said the collision occurred due to the failure of the brakes of one of the buses in the convoy.
"The last vehicle of the Pahalgam convoy lost control and hit stranded vehicles at the Chanderkot Langer site, damaging four vehicles and causing minor injuries to 36 Yatris," Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan said.
He said the government officials already present at the site rushed the injured to the Ramban district hospital.
Several senior police officers visited the hospital to monitor the treatment of the injured and directed the chief medical officer to ensure the best care.
"The Yatris were later shifted to other vehicles for their onward journey," the deputy commissioner said.
Ramban Medical Superintendent Sudarshan Singh Katoch said the pilgrims were discharged immediately after first aid.
The convoy left for its destination after the damaged buses were replaced, officials said.
The fourth batch of 6,979 pilgrims -- 5,196 men, 1,427 women, 24 children, 331 sadhus and sadhvis, and one transgender -- left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in two separate convoys between 3.30 am and 4.05 am.
While 4,226 pilgrims left in 161 vehicles for Nunwan base camp for the 48-kilometre traditional Pahalgam route, 2,753 pilgrims were headed for the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre Baltal route in 151 vehicles.
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If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
