Two Amarnath pilgrims killed in accident

Two Amarnath pilgrims died and five others were injured today in a road accident at Qazigund in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir while a volunteer died due to cardiac arrest at Sheshnag, taking the death toll in this year's pilgrimage to 17.

A private vehicle carrying four Amarnath pilgrims and the driver overturned at Zig Morh in Qazigund area while they were on their way to Srinagar from Jammu, a police official said.

While one pilgrim, Surinder Sindha from Ludhiana, died on the spot, another pilgrim Vinod Kumar succumbed to injuries while he was being taken to a hospital.

Five others -- four pilgrims and the driver of the vehicle - have been admitted to a hospital here, he said.

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old sevadar (volunteer), who was working at a community kitchen at Sheshnag, died due to cardiac arrest, the official said adding the deceased was identified as Ajay, a resident of Meerut.

With these, the death toll in this year's pilgrimage -- which began on 28 June -- has gone up to 17.