Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 25: While two more deaths of yatris taking place enroute to holy cave today taking the toll to 100 since the Swami Amarnath yatra started on June 25, a fresh batch of 5,752 pilgrims performed darshan of Ice Lingam in cave shrine situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters.
According to an official spokesman one Sadhu identified as Sadhu Ram, 80 died at Pissu Top this afternoon due to cardiac arrest while a pilgrim identified as Shri M Srinivas, 45 of Vikasapatnam AP died at Ganeshtop after suffering a massive heart attack.
With this the total number of pilgrims who lost their lives during the last 31 days of yatra has reached 100. This included 98 pilgrims and two civilians. While 99 deaths of yatris took place in Kashmir Valley one pilgrim died at Samba while on his way to home state after performing darshan on July 23.
The spokesman said a fresh batch of 1656 pilgrims left from Nunwan (Pahalgam) via traditional Chandanwari track to holy cave while 1338 pilgrims left via shortest Baltal track for holy cave early this morning.
He said besides the pilgrims who had the night stay at various camps enroute to holy cave on Chandanwari track also started their onwards journey. The weather was pleasant during the day though it rained for a while in the morning. But the forward movement of the yatris was not disrupted.
With performance of 5,752 pilgrims darshan in holy cave today the total number of yatris paying obeisance in the cave shrine has reached 5,95,966. Till late last night over 5.90 lakh pilgrims had performed darshan in the holy cave.
Meanwhile amid tight security, a fresh batch of 483 pilgrims left for the Amarnath cave shrine from here today.
The pilgrims comprising 303 men, 91 women, 4 children and 85 ‘Sadhus’ left in a cavalcade of 10 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas at around 0500 hours.
With today’s batch, as many as 90,018 pilgrims have left Jammu for their onward journey to the cave shrine. This was the 32nd batch of pilgrims which left from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas to holy cave today. These pilgrims after a night halt at Baltal and Nunwan will leave for holy cave tomorrow.
The 39 day long Swami Amarnath yatra will conclude on Sawan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandhan on August 2 after silver mace of Lord Shiva reaches the cave shrine.
More male pilgrims lost their lives as compared to women yatris during the annual pilgrimage to the holy Amarnath cave shrine.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) Naveen Kumar Choudhary said the deceased comprised 69 males and 21 females, of varying age groups.
A total 112 yatris -90 inside and 22 outside the yatra area -lost their lives due to medical reasons and accidents till July 23, according to Mr Choudhary.
He said on the basis of statistics being maintained by the Shrine Board, till July 23 evening, 84 pilgrims had lost their lives due to medical reasons and six on account of accidents within the yatra area.
Of the 22 pilgrims, who lost their lives outside the yatra area, 18 were killed in serious accidents.
He said of the 90 pilgrims who had lost their lives till last evening, 45 casualties had taken place on the Pahalgam- Chandanwari-Sheshnag route, 33 on the Baltal route and 12 pilgrims had passed away after admission to hospitals in Srinagar.
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