3 more Amarnath pilgrims die, death toll rises to 30

Srinagar, Jul 17 (PTI) Three more Amarnath pilgrims have died, taking the death toll during this year’s pilgrimage in the south Kashmir Himalayas to 30, officials said on Monday.

The three pilgrims who died since Sunday morning belonged to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Two of the pilgrims died of cardiac arrest, while the cause of the death of the third was being ascertained, the officials added.

While two people died on the Pahalgam route of the yatra, one death occurred on the Baltal route, they said.

These three deaths have taken the toll during the yatra so far this year to 30.

Among the victims are an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officer posted on yatra duty, a sadhu and a sevadar, according to the officials.

Cardiac arrest triggered by low oxygen concentration at high altitude is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there.

So far, over 2.30 lakh pilgrims have visited the cave shrine to glimpse the natural ice lingam formation.

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 August 31.