Amarnath Yatra suspended after woman pilgrim dies in shooting stone incident


Daijiworld Media Network- Jammu

Jammu, Jul 17: Tragedy struck the sacred Amarnath Yatra on Thursday as a woman pilgrim lost her life after being hit by a shooting stone along the Baltal route in Ganderbal district, prompting the authorities to suspend the yatra temporarily due to adverse weather conditions and safety concerns.

This marks the first suspension of the yatra from Jammu since its commencement on July 3. The decision was taken after heavy rainfall triggered landslides and stonefall incidents, rendering the route unsafe for pilgrims.

On Wednesday, three other yatris sustained injuries in a separate landslide incident on the same route. The terrifying situation was captured in a viral video, where a mudslide is seen sweeping away two devotees. Fortunately, both were rescued by fellow yatris on the track. Others were seen clinging to railings to avoid being washed away.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were rushed to the affected site to rescue and evacuate stranded pilgrims. Meanwhile, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has begun urgent restoration work on the damaged track.

Officials confirmed that the yatra will remain suspended until the track is fully restored and deemed safe for resumption.

The Amarnath Yatra, considered one of the holiest pilgrimages in Hinduism, is conducted via two tracks – the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag, and the 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal, which is shorter but more treacherous.

So far, over two lakh pilgrims have offered prayers at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine this year. Thousands of security personnel, including army, paramilitary and J&K police forces, have been deployed to ensure the safety of pilgrims.

The heightened security measures follow the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 civilians lost their lives in an assault by Pakistan-linked terrorists. Authorities remain on high alert as the yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 9.

  

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Title: Amarnath Yatra suspended after woman pilgrim dies in shooting stone incident



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