Travel tents have been set up at the base camp for Amarnath pilgrims in Kashmir. (Representative image)
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File/G.K
Anantnag: Amarnath Yatra from Pahalgam and Balthal routes has been temporarily suspended due to bad weather. Meanwhile, a woman passenger was killed in a stone pelting on the travel route and two policemen were injured while trying to rescue the passenger.
Due to bad weather conditions, no trek was allowed to proceed from the traditional Nunwan, Pahalgam base camp in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district or Baltal in Ganderbal district, an official said.
“The road to Amarnath cave temple is raining at many places and it is muddy and slippery at many places. He said, therefore, the journeys have been suspended at the base camps until the weather improves.
Meanwhile, a 53-year-old woman named Urmilaben, daughter of Lakshmi Narayan, was killed in the firing along the travel route and two policemen were injured while trying to rescue the passengers.
The incident took place between Sangam Top and Lower Guha in south Kashmir on Saturday evening.
“The woman passenger was seriously injured in a stone pelting attack,” an official said.
He said two members of the Mountain Rescue Team of J&K Police, SGCT Muhammad Saleem and SGCT Muhammad Yaseen, were also seriously injured during the desperate attempt to rescue her.
“However, the woman succumbed to her injuries before being shifted to the hospital,” an official said.
He also said that the army and a private helicopter evacuated the injured policemen on travel duty.
“Both are undergoing treatment,” an official said.
Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh condoled the death of Yatrika and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
He appreciated the commitment of the two policemen and thanked everyone involved in the quick evacuation and wished them a speedy recovery.
25 Amarnath pilgrims have died so far this year.
But all the deaths were natural, except for the one who died of gunshot wounds.
“Most of the passengers died of cardiac arrest,” an official said.
Officials said an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) official, a sadhu and a sevadar, who was posted on travel duty, were among those killed.
One of the most common causes of death among Amarnath pilgrims is cardiac arrest due to reduced oxygen concentration at high altitude.
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