Congress cancels Bharat Jodo Yatra’s afternoon leg after landslides in Jammu

The Congress Yatra, which reached Ramban on Tuesday, will resume on Friday morning.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with supporters during the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', in Ramban district, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra was cancelled Wednesday from Ramban to Banihal as the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed after landslides in which a truck driver was killed and two others were injured on that stretch.

The truck driver was killed and two others injured after boulders rolling down a mountain hit a truck and a tanker at Magarkote near Ramban on the highway late on Tuesday. The authorities managed to clear the road by 8am Wednesday, but it had to be closed for traffic again in view of fresh landslides and the falling down of boulders because of rain and snowfall.

The deceased has been identified as Muneeb Tak of Kulgam.

Story continues below this ad

“Due to poor weather conditions and landslides in the area, the afternoon leg of #BharatJodoYatra in Ramban & Banihal has been cancelled,” tweeted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. He added that the Yatra would resume from Ramban at 8am on Friday, Thursday being a rest day.

The Yatra entered the Union Territory at Lakhanpur from neighbouring Punjab on January 19. It reached Ramban on Tuesday and, after having a night halt there, was scheduled to proceed towards Banihal on Wednesday.

On January 30, the Yatra is scheduled to reach Srinagar, where Gandhi will address the concluding function at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram