Pilgrim, porter die; Amarnath Yatra toll rises to 32

A 55-year-old pilgrim and a porter died en route to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the death toll during the ongoing pilgrimage to 32, officials said.

Raj Kishore, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, suffered a massive heart attack after paying obeisance at the cave shrine on Thursday morning, resulting in his death, the officials said.

They said his body was brought down to the base camp and handed over to his next of kin for last rites.

A 19-year-old porter identified as Fayaz Ahmad Kasana, a resident of Lar village of Ganderbal, died while leading a batch of pilgrims through Brarimarg Glacier along Baltal-cave route on Wednesday, the officials said.

The annual yatra commenced from the twin tracks of Baltal in Ganderbal district and traditional Pahalgam in Anantnag district on June 25 and so far over 2.20 lakh pilgrims have visited the shrine for prayers.

A total of 2,10,524 pilgrims offered their prayers to the naturally formed ice-shivlingam by late Wednesday evening, while over 10,000 more paid their obeisance at the cave till Thursday afternoon, officials said.