Amarnath pilgrim dies of heart attack, toll rises to 3

A 38-year-old pilgrim died of cardiac arrest after paying obeisance at the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to three, officials said today.
Satinder Soni, a resident of Ludhiana in Punjab, breathed his last at Brarimarg while returning to Baltal base camp from the cave shrine last evening, the officials said.
His death raised the number of pilgrims who died during the ongoing yatra to three.
The 55-day yatra commenced from the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on June 28 and so far over 1.15 lakh pilgrims had visited the cave shrine housing the naturally formed ice stalagmite known as "Shivlingam".

Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 4,824 yatris left Nunwan base camp to pay obeisance at the cave along the traditional 45-km Pahalgam-cave route, while 1,027 pilgrims proceeded towards the cave from the shortest 16-km Baltal side this morning, the officials added.