Amarnath yatra: Two more pilgrims die, toll rises to 5

SRINAGAR: Two more pilgrims today died of cardiac arrest, taking the death toll to five in the ongoing Amarnath yatra, officials said.

A sadhu, identified as Shirla Nanda (48) from Karnataka, suffered a massive heart attack at a guest house in Pahalgam, 100 km from here, they said.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead, the officials said, adding that police cremated the sadhu according to Hindu rites.

In a similar incident, a 24-year-old pilgrim, identified as Sonu from Ludhiana in Punjab, suffered a heart attack at Yessu top after offering prayers at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine housing the naturally formed ice-shivligam.

He died on the spot, the officials said. The 45-day yatra commenced from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal on June 29 and so far over 40,000 pilgrims had 'darshan' of the ice-lingam at the cave shrine.

While a Muslim porter and a 47-year-old pilgrim died of cardiac arrest at Sheshnag, along the Pahalgam-Amarnath track, and Sangam Top, along the Baltal-cave track, respectively on June 29, a devotee died of heart attack a day ahead of the yatra at Baltal base camp.

Amarnath yatra: Two more pilgrims die, toll rises to 5