Bus falls into canal near Pathankot, all 46 pilgrims rescued

A private bus with 46 pilgrims returning from the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra to New Delhi fell into the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC), a tributary of the Ravi river at Madhopur, 14 km from Pathankot, on Sunday night.

Police sources said all 46 people, including the driver, had been rescued after the accident occurred at 8.45 pm.

The passengers, who belonged to Gurgaon and Shahadra area of New Delhi, were admitted to the civil hospital in Pathankot.

Hospital sources said they were out of danger.

According to one of the passengers, Priyanka Maheshwari, 23, “It was dark and most passengers were asleep when the bus rolled down into the canal. I kept screaming for help as the bus drifted in the fast-flowing water for around a kilometre before we were rescued.”

Though there were conflicting reports about the cause of the accident, trip organiser Jai Singh claimed that the brakes of the bus had failed. The driver was not available for comment.

LEFT GURGAON ON AUG 14

The bus, with the registration number DL 1PC 4012, belonged to Gurgaon’s Tulip Infratech Private Limited. The passengers, most of who were related and family friends, had started from Gurgaon on August 14 to pay obeisance at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Trikuta Hills.

Eyewitnesses said Punjab irrigation department officials promptly lowered the water level in the canal, which helped in the rescue operation.

Madhopur is located on the border of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.