Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 29: On the second day of darshan at holy cave of Swami Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas, 11,182 pilgrims paid obeisance to Icy Lingam of Lord Shiva. With this about 20,000 pilgrims had performed darshan in holy cave since the 45 day long yatra started from here on June 27.
According to official figures, 9,786 pilgrims left from Baltal to holy cave for darshan today. Out of them, 8,599 left by foot while 1,187 left by chopper.
Two pilgrims, identified as Suresh Yadav son of Kharpallu Yadav from Bedi Borhagaon, Varanasi, and Dara Singh, son of Gian Singh from Bhatinda, were crushed to death when two large boulders rolled down the snow mountain near the holy cave at 6.25 am. The two young men were killed when they were coming down the stairs of the shrine after paying their obeisance.
With this the death toll in last two days of yatra has touched four. Two pilgrims died of cardiac arrest at Brarimarg near holy cave and Ramban in Jammu province yesterday.
On being informed about the incident, Governor, N.N. Vohra, asked Chief Executive Officer, R.K. Gupta and Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO of the Shrine Board to forthwith proceed to the holy cave Shrine to take on spot decision about the threat posed by the rolling stones and take other required action.
The CEO and Additional CEO immediately left for the holy cave in a State helicopter. After assessing the ground situation and holding consultation with the Camp Directors and security officers located at the Shrine, the CEO gave instructions regarding an immediate reconnaissance of the hill side from which the rocks had rolled down. In this effort the CEO received valuable assistance from the Army, particularly Maj Mohanta of 4 Bihar.
The CEO made arrangements for the bodies of the deceased to be transported from holy cave to Sonamarg for completion of legal and other formalities and being kept in the State Health Department Mortuary. The next of kin of the deceased are being contacted and all required support will be provided for their cremation or the bodies being transported to their native places, a spokesman of the SASB said.
Both the deceased were duly registered Yatris, as revealed by the documents recovered from their bodies. As per the Shrine Board’s Policy, all registered pilgrims who may get killed in any accident in the yatra area, during the yatra period, are provided by an Insurance cover of Rs one lakh.
On return to Srinagar, in consultation with the Governor, who is Chairman of the Shrine Board, the CEO announced that besides the Insurance money, the next of kin of the deceased, after due verification, would also be provided ex-gratia support of Rs one lakh in each case, on behalf of the Board. The Chairman also gave the instructions that expenditures on the transportation of the dead bodies to the native places of the deceased would be borne by the Board.
The Governor has also conveyed their heartfelt sympathy to the families of the two youth who lost their lives in this morning’s tragic accident.
Sources said there is a heavy rush of pilgrims to holy cave even though the traditional Chandanwari –Pahalgam route was not opened for pilgrims due to snowy track today also. Sources said majority of pilgrims by-passing the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas are directly leaving for Kashmir valley to embark on annual yatra.
The decision to start the yatra from traditional Pahalgam will be taken tomorrow after reviewing the ground position and other relevant factors on the track, sources added.
Though strict instructions have been issued not to allow any unregistered yatri, the authorities have set up a number of counters for on-spot registration of pilgrims undertaking the yatra.
Sources said about 9,000 pilgrims, including women and Sadhus, have the darshan of self-made ice-Shivlingam in the shrine on the first day of the two-month-long yatra yesterday. The yatris expressed satisfaction over the widening of track and other facilities.
Sources said shouting Bam Bam Bolay and other religious slogans, pilgrims, including women and Sadhus, left for the cave shrine from 14 km hilly Baltal track early this morning.
However, the yatra could not be started from traditional Pahalgam route as the track from Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station, to Sheshnag was still not safe for journey. The SASB has announced that pilgrims who have registered themselves from Pahalgam route can also undertake the pilgrimage from Baltal till tomorrow.
The third batch of Amarnath pilgrims comprising 1,458 devotees today left the Jammu base camp for their onward journey to the cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas amid tight security.
The pilgrims– 1,097 men, 203 women, 13 children and 145 Sadhus– left from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a cavalcade of 46 vehicles, police said.
With the departure of today’s batch, as many as 3,360 pilgrims have left Jammu for their onward journey to the cave shrine of Amarnath.
Meanwhile, 14th langer for Amarnath yatris was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Kathua Jitendera Kumar Singh, in presence of large number of people at Kathua town today.
On the occasion, former MLC Subash Gupta, SSP Kathua Mohan Lal were also present.
Another langer was opened at Chan Rorian, Hiranangar. It was inaugurated by Dilbagh Singh, Additional DC, Kathua.
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