Maharashtra pilgrim dies at Amarnath base camp

A 65-year-old pilgrim from Maharashtra died at the Baltal based camp of Amarnath yatra in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, raising the death toll in the ongoing pilgrimage to 20, police said today.

Sada Shiv fell seriously ill yesterday. He was admitted to the Baltal base hospital, where he died late last night, a police official said.

The 40-day Amarnath yatra started on June 29 from the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. It is scheduled to culminate on August 7, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.

More than two lakh yatris have paid obeisance at the cave shrine so far.