10 pilgrims injured at Banihal
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 2: Over 22,000 pilgrims drawn from different parts of country paid obeisance at Himalayan cave in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on the fourth day of pilgrimage today while a fresh batch of 6537 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas from here for twin base camps of Nunwan Pahalgam in South Kashmir district of Anantnag and Baltal in Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal under tight security arrangements in a cavalcade of 261 heavy and light motor vehicles.
According to officials, 22,715 pilgrims paid obeisance of naturally formed Ice Lingam in holy cave situated at the height of 3888 meters from sea level by this evening. With this, a total number of pilgrims who have visited the shrine in the first four days of the annual Amarnath Yatra has reached 74,696.
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“As many as 22,715 pilgrims had darshan of the Ice lingam in the Amarnath cave on Tuesday,” the officials said.
These included 16,973 male pilgrims, 3,775 female pilgrims, 315 Sadhus and six Sadhvis. More than 1,227 security personnel and 419 children also performed the pilgrimage, they said.
The total number of pilgrims who have visited the cave shrine in the first four days now stands at 74,696, according to the officials.
The Amarnath Yatra began on Saturday from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal.
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The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.
Among the 6537 pilgrims who left for holy cave from here early this morning, 2106 preferred the shortest Baltal track while 4431 preferred the traditional Pahalgam -Nunwan track.
These yatris included 5091 male, 1102 female, 19 children, 301 Sadhus and 24 Sadhvis. They have reached their respective base camps by this evening where from they will proceed towards holy cave early tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, pilgrims who reached base camps of Nunwan and Baltal yesterday have left for holy cave early this morning. The pilgrims who left via Baltal track reached cave shrine during the day and performed darshan while those from Nunwan -Chandanwari track will stay for two days at different camps before reaching cave shrine for darshan.
However, the rush of pilgrims reaching here from other parts of the country is increasing day by day and thousands of yatris are camping at Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas, Saraswati Dham and Vaishanvi Dham near Railway Station and other lodgements in the city.
Meanwhile, 10 Amarnath Ji pilgrims returning from the Amarnath yatra were injured when they jumped out of a moving bus in Ramban district after the driver informed them about the failure of its breaks, officials said.
The bus was, however, stopped by the Army and police personnel, thus averting a possible accident along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, they said.
The officials said the bus was carrying 40 pilgrims who were returning to Hoshiarpur in Punjab, adding the driver failed to stop the vehicle on reaching Nachlana near Banihal due to failure of its breaks.
At least 10 pilgrims, including three women and a child, were hurt when several of the bus occupants jumped out of the moving vehicle, the officials said.
Noticing the pilgrims jumping out of the moving vehicle, the Army troops and police personnel acted swiftly and managed to stop the bus from plunging down into the stream by placing stones beneath the tyres of the vehicle, they said.
The Army’s Quick Reaction Teams along with ambulance reached the scene and provided medical assistance and first aid to all the injured persons, the officials said.
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