SRINAGAR: One pilgrim died and at least nine others were injured in a landslide that struck the old Vaishno Devi Yatra track near Banganga in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Monday morning, officials said.
The incident occurred around 8:30 am near Gulshan Langar, close to the starting point of the pilgrimage, where pony riders and pilgrims usually gather. Officials said the landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall in the region, caused the collapse of a booking office and an overhead iron structure.
Seven pilgrims and three locals were injured in the incident. A senior police officer confirmed that one pilgrim succumbed to injuries at the hospital.
The critically injured — Uppan (70) and his wife K. Radha (66) from Chennai, and Rajinder Bhalla (70) from Haryana — were referred to Narayana Hospital. Leela Raikwar (56) from Uttar Pradesh was admitted to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Katra. Three others, including Suresh Kumar (66) from Maharashtra and locals Nikhil Thakur (26) and Vicky Sharma, were treated and discharged.
A rescue operation was launched immediately by the Shrine Board staff, SDRF, police, CRPF personnel, and local volunteers. An earth-mover was deployed to assist in clearing debris.
The pilgrimage was temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure and resumed around 1 pm via an alternate track. Another landslide had earlier blocked the new track near Himkoti on Sunday night; restoration efforts are ongoing.
According to the Meteorological Department, Katra recorded 184.2 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours ending 8:30 am Monday.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of life. In a post on X, he said, “I am deeply saddened by the tragic landslide incident at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in which a devotee unfortunately lost his life. Directed Shrine Board to provide best possible medical care and support to the injured pilgrims. I’m constantly monitoring the situation.”
Authorities have urged pilgrims to follow safety advisories, while monitoring of the area continues.
