A horrific accident took place in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday morning, when a bus carrying pilgrims from Jammu to Srinagar skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge near Ramban district. The bus was part of a convoy of vehicles that was heading to the holy shrine of Amarnath. The accident occurred around 8:45 am at Digdole, about 150 km from Jammu.

According to the police, the bus driver lost control of the vehicle due to a tyre burst and it rolled down about 200 feet into the gorge. The rescue operation was launched immediately by the police, army and local volunteers. The death toll has risen to 10, while 55 others have been injured, some of them critically. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. The authorities have also arranged for airlifting some of the seriously injured to Jammu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for the injured. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the cause of the accident.

The Governor Manoj Sinha has also expressed his condolences and directed the officials to provide all possible assistance to the victims and their families. The accident has cast a shadow over the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, which started on June 28 and will end on August 22. The yatra is considered one of the most sacred pilgrimages for Hindus, who visit the cave shrine of Lord Shiva in the Himalayas.

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