Over 50,000 devotees visit Amarnath cave shrine in first four days of pilgrimage

Srinagar, Jul 4 (PTI) More than 50,000 people have visited the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas since the start of the annual pilgrimage four days ago, officials said on Tuesday.

M Anapurna, a 67-year-old woman pilgrim from Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, died at a hospital in Sonamarg on Monday, they said, adding the cause of her death was not known yet.

An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officer posted on Amarnath Yatra duty died at Sonamarg in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir died before the commencement of the pilgrimage.

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

On Tuesday, 13,597 people paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine, the officials said, adding in the first four days of the yatra, 54,714 devotees have had ‘darshan’ of the naturally-formed ice-lingam in the cave shrine.

CRPF Director General S.L. Thaosen on Tuesday assessed the security arrangements for the yatra convoy along the pilgrimage route.

“CRPF DG S L Thaosen undertook a comprehensive assessment of Yatra Convoy security arrangements. He inspected Yatri camps in @KOSCRPF and deployment on the national highway to ensure maintenance of top safety standards and preparedness,” the CRPF said on Twitter.