Four pilgrims travelling to the Amarnath Yatra were killed and eight others sustained serious injuries after their Tempo Traveller collided with a stationary truck on the Bathinda-Bikaner National Highway in Punjab's Bathinda district on Wednesday morning. The victims, all residents of Barmer district in Rajasthan, were undertaking the annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir when the tragic accident occurred. Police have launched an investigation into the incident while the injured continue to receive treatment at AIIMS Bathinda.

According to officials, the collision took place at around 6:30 a.m. near the villages of Jodhpur Romana and Gurusar Sanewala. The impact of the crash was so severe that the Tempo Traveller was completely mangled. Police and emergency responders rushed to the scene after receiving information about the accident. The injured passengers were shifted to AIIMS Bathinda by ambulance, while the bodies of the deceased were sent for post-mortem examinations. Three bodies were taken to the Civil Hospital mortuary, while one was shifted to AIIMS Bathinda.

Sandeep Singh, a volunteer with the Sahara Jan Seva Sanstha, said the organisation's control room received an alert about the accident early in the morning. Upon reaching the site, rescue teams found that the traveller van had rammed into a trailer parked on the roadside. He said there were 11 to 12 passengers in the vehicle, four of whom died at the scene, while the remaining occupants suffered injuries. Hospital officials later confirmed through Aadhaar cards and other identification documents that all the victims belonged to Barmer district in Rajasthan.

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Bathinda Deputy Superintendent of Police Harvinder Singh Sara said the group consisted of family members and family friends travelling together in a hired Tempo Traveller to participate in the Amarnath Yatra. Preliminary investigations indicate that the vehicle struck the stationary truck from behind. Among those killed were people from different families, including what appeared to be a father and daughter. The deceased reportedly included a man aged around 50 years and a young woman aged about 24 to 25 years, while the remaining passengers are undergoing treatment.

The Amarnath Yatra is one of India's most significant annual Hindu pilgrimages, attracting thousands of devotees from across the country every year. Road accidents involving pilgrimage vehicles have repeatedly raised concerns over highway safety, particularly during long-distance religious journeys. Police are continuing their investigation to determine the exact circumstances that led to Wednesday's crash, and further details are awaited as authorities complete identification and procedural formalities.

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