Five Hindu Amarnath pilgrims died in the last two days, taking the death toll during this year’s yatra in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir to 24.
According to Kashmir Media Service, officials said these five victims also included a sadhu and an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officer posted on yatra duty.
They said cardiac arrest triggered by low oxy-gen concentration at high altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among the Amarnath Yatris and Indian forces’ personnel posted there.
The 62-day annual Hindu pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high Amarnath cave in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Islamabad district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.—KMS
