@@.......11 Amarnath Yatris die so far........@@ Eleven persons, including 10 devotees, have died due to medical reasons during the ongoing pilgrimage to Amarnath cave in south Kashmir Himalayas. “10 Amarnath pilgrims and a helper have died so far during this year’s yatra due to medical reasons,” an officer monitoring the yatra said. 3.12 lakh pilgrims performed darshan of the ice lingum at Amarnath cave till Wednesday. The 55-day yatra commenced on June 28 and will conclude on Raksha Bandhan on August 21. As many as 6,21,145 pilgrims undertook the Amarnath yatra last year, during which 93 people died due to medical reasons, apart from 42 others due to road accidents and other reasons. In 2011, 106 people died due to medical reasons when a total of 6,35,611 pilgrims undertook the yatra. The deaths due to medical reasons might be fewer this year as Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) banned persons below 13 years or above the age of 75, besides women who were six weeks or more pregnant, from participating in the yatra. Nitish K Sen Gupta Committee, which was setup in 1996 to enquire into the tragedy in which 243 people were killed in the yatra area, had recommended that no person under the age of 15 years or above 65 should be encouraged to undertake the pilgrimage.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 10:13:34 +0000