Six more Amarnath pilgrims die, toll rises to 67

Six more Amarnath pilgrims died en route to the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the toll during this year's pilgrimage to 67, officials said today.

Six more Amarnath pilgrims died en route to the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the toll during this year's pilgrimage to 67, officials said on Wednesday.

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Body of an unidentified Sadhu was recovered from a tent at Panjtarni, six kms short of the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine, along the 46-km traditional Pahalgam route, this morning, the officials said.

One of the pilgrims, 50-year-old Prem Chand, a resident of Punjab, died after being hit by a shooting stone, rolling down from a hillock, while crossing Brarimarg glacier on 16-km Baltal-cave route in Ganderbal district last evening, they said.

Another two, Subash Chand (45) and Subash Babu (62), both residents of Uttar Pradesh, died of cardiac arrest at Railpathri and Brarimarg respectively, on Baltal route, last night.

Hari Bhai (50) of Gujarat and Bhim Singh (72) of Haryana also died along the Baltal route last night.

Over 3.90 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance since the pilgrimage to the 3,880-mt high holy cave shrine began from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on June 25.