Five Amarnath pilgrims die since July 13 morning, death toll rises to 24

Srinagar, Jul 14 (PTI) Five Amarnath pilgrims died in the past 36 hours, taking the death toll during this year’s yatra in the south Kashmir Himalayas to 24, officials said on Friday.

The five victims who died in since Thursday morning included a sadhu, they said.

Most of the pilgrims died of cardiac arrest, the officials added.

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

The pilgrims belonged to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat. One victim is yet to be identified.

These five deaths have taken the toll during the yatra so far this year to 24. 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 altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there.

So far, 1,62,569 (1.62 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.