2 more pilgrims die, toll 36
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 22: Despite heavy downpour during the day in entire yatra area, over 10,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at cave shrine in deep Himalayas of South Kashmir on 22nd day of yatra today.
Officials said that 10,544 pilgrims from twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan-Pahalgam performed darshan on 22nd day of yatra today taking the total number of pilgrims who visited holy cave shrine since the 62 day pilgrimage started on July 1 to 3,17,898.
Among the 10,544 pilgrims who performed darshan at Himalayan cave today included 8099 male, 2199 female, 154 children, 87 Sadhus, and five Sadhvis. Officials said that it was raining in the entire yatra area as well as cave shrine during the day but the heavy downpour failed to dampen the spirits of the pilgrims and the yatra plied normally from both the tracks.
They said among the 3.17 lakh pilgrims who performed darshan at holy cave till date, majority of them has returned to their home states by now while others are on way.
Officials said two more Amarnath pilgrims have died today, taking the death toll during this year’s pilgrimage in the South Kashmir Himalayas to 36. They belonged to Rajasthan.
They have been identified as Phateh Lal Manaria who died at the holy cave and Mangi Lal who died at the Baltal base camp. They were aged 60, the officials said.
While Manaria died of cardiac arrest, the cause of Lal’s death was being ascertained, they added.
These two deaths have taken the toll during the yatra so far this year to 36.
Cardiac arrest triggered by low oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on Sawan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festival falling on August 31.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 3,472 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here early this morning under tight security arrangements for the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan-Pahalgam in a cavalcade of 132 vehicles.
Among them 2,515 pilgrims preferred the traditional and longest Nunwan-Pahalgam track while 957 preferred shortest and terrain Baltal track.
This was the 20th batch of pilgrims which left for holy cave from here today. It included 2,042 male, 395 female, 12 children, 63 Sadhus and three Sadhvis.
Officials said that the Amarnath convoy was, however, briefly stopped in Ramban today following the landslides at two places along the Jammu -Srinagar National Highway.
The landslides due to rain were reported from Mahar and Dalwas along areas 270 km Highway but after removal of debris traffic movement was restored, officials said.
The pilgrims were later allowed to move towards their destinations in Kashmir Valley to join the yatra, the officials said.
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