Three more Amarnath pilgrims die; toll rises to 88

Three pilgrims died en route to the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 88, officials said on Thursday.

Kucha, who had offered his prayers at the cave shrine last evening and was returning to the base camp, had apparently died of cardiac arrest, the officials said.

Meanwhile, body of an unidentified pilgrim was recovered from a tent at Baltal yesterday. Efforts are on to establish his identity.

Another yatri ANS Molly of Andhra Pradesh died of heart failure at the cave last evening, the officials said.

They said the yatra is going on smoothly and so far over 5.40 lakh pilgrims had offered prayers at the cave shrine housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.

A total of 5,30,044 pilgrims had visited the cave shrine by last evening, while 10,000 more offered prayers by this afternoon, the officials added.

PTI