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Amarnath Yatra: 21 days, 74 dead

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 7/15/2012 10:08:39 AM

SRINAGAR/JAMMU, July 14: 74 persons mostly pilgrims have died since the Amarnath yatra began on June 25 while over 4.45 lakh pilgrims also performed the pilgrimage during the period.
The details were given at a meeting of Shrine Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), which was chaired by Governor N N Vohra, an official spokesman said.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) SASB, Navin K. Choudhary, said the movement of the pilgrims had to be stopped for given periods on seven days, due to bad weather. “In all 4, 45, 764 pilgrims had performed Darshan till last evening, travelling along both the Chandanwari and Baltal routes. 
He revealed that 74 lives were lost of which six were due to accidents, including the case of drowning of a non-Yatri, and 68 due to different medical reasons.  Two yatris had died in hotels, 12 in hospitals and two on way to hospitals outside Yatra area. 1, 85, 259 pilgrims received treatment at the various medical aid centres and hospitals.
Of the total of 74 who lost their lives, 53 were in the 20–60 years age group, 16 in the 61-70 years group, three were above 70 years in age, and in two cases their ages could not be ascertained.
KTNS JAMMU adds: One more Amarnath pilgrim died of cardiac arrest enroute shrine at Patnitop, today.
The deceased has been identified as Vicku Khakha, son of Jamsu Khakha resident of Tunga (Maharashtra).
Police said that he was on way to Amarnath shrine along with his two friends. They had a night halt at Patnitop and in the morning when they were about to proceed towards holy cave shrine, Vicku Khakha suffered cardiac arrest. He was, however, shifted to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Chenani where he was pronounced as brought dead.
The body was handed over to the friends accompanying the deceased and it was shifted to Mumbai.
Meanwhile, amid tight security arrangements, another fresh batch of 2,973 pilgrims today left for 3888-meter high holy Amarnath cave shrine situated in South Kashmir Himalayas.
The pilgrims comprising 1,911 men, 609 women, 59 children and 394 sadhus left in a cavalcade of 110 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp here at around 0500 hours, police said.
The convoy of the yatra has already crossed Chanderkote on Jammu-Srinagar National highway towards base camps of Pahalgam in Kashmir valley.
With today's batch, as many as 70,649 pilgrims have left Jammu for their onward journey to the cave shrine of Amarnath.
The annual Amarnath yatra commenced on June 25 from the twin tracks from Baltal and Pahalgam and is going on smoothly although amid thunder showers the sky remained cloudy today.
A news agency reported, despite after an appeal by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to the pilgrims to follow travel advisory of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and get themselves checked before leaving from the base camp at Baltal and Pahalgam.
Today six more pilgrims were died on way to the Amarnath cave, even as the number of yatris who had 'darshan' of the naturally formed ice-shivlingam at the 3,880 metre high cave shrine crossed 4.5 lakh today, informed SASB officials.
All the six pilgrims died of cardiac arrest, taking the death toll to 78 in the ongoing yatra which commenced on June 25, officials said.
Ranidhar (30), a resident of Maharashtra, and Amlas Chakravorty (62) of West Bengal died at Baltal base camp, while two Punjab residents Prem Kumar (47) and Gurnam Singh (22) breathed their last at Brarimarg and Nagatati-Pahalgam, respectively, the officials said.
They said Ram Bhai Baggi (50) of Maharashtra and Rajinder Kumar of Chandigarh passed away at Railpathri and the holy cave, respectively