Javaid Naikoo
Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 8: Two more Amarnath pilgrims have died of cardiac arrest, taking the death toll to four during the ongoing yatra which started on July 2. Meanwhile, the number of yatris visiting the cave crossed one lakh mark today.
Officials said, N.B Patel, 65, a resident of Gujarat died at Chandanwari while 70-year-old Baldev Raj Khoda, of New Delhi, breathed his last at Domail, on Tuesday night.
Both pilgrims died of cardiac arrest and their bodies were brought back to the base camps and later handed over to their relatives for last rites at their respective places, said the officials.
With the death of these two yatris, four Amarnath pilgrims have died so far during the ongoing yatra which commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal on July 2 amid tight security arrangements from authorities.
Earlier, Subash Chander, 63, of Chandigarh died of cardiac arrest at Panjtarni and another yatri Rama Shanker, 58, a resident of Uttar Pradesh also died due to cardiac arrest enroute holy cave.
Meanwhile, according to official figures nearly 95,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave till today.
Following the security threats, army has already launched 'Operation Shiva' for a smooth conduct of yatra and besides standing guard on both Chandanwari and Baltal routes, army is also regularly conducting aerial surveillance of the twin routes and monitoring the yatra itself.
The 59-day-long annual Amarnath Yatra began on July 2 in Kashmir Valley amid tight security arrangements.
Following reports of deaths due to cardiac arrests, yatris have been advised not to trek alone and always travel in a group on the Yatra route to enable prompt action being taken in case of any emergency
arises and officials also advised yatris to always carry their Yatra Permit and other identity proofs with them, besides take due care of the environment and do nothing to pollute it throughout the pilgrimage period.
Meanwhile, six Amarnath pilgrims were injured after a vehicle in which they were travelling in overturned in Bali nallah area of Udhampur late last night, the police said.
All the injured were hospitalized at district hospital Udhampur. |
