In a tragic incident on Wednesday, two labourers lost their lives while carrying a woman pilgrim on a palanquin to Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand. The incident happened around 11:20 am near Jungle Chatti stream on the trekking route.
According to police, a landslide suddenly occurred, causing stones and debris to fall from the hillside. Several people, including other labourers and pilgrims, were caught in the landslide. The two labourers who died were identified as Nitin Kumar and Chandrashekhar, both from Doda district in Jammu.
The woman pilgrim they were carrying suffered only minor injuries. Three others — Sandeep Kumar and Nitin Manhas from Doda, and Akash Chitriya from Bhavnagar in Gujarat — were injured but are safe.
Rescue teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and police rushed to the spot and helped rescue those who had fallen into the gorge after being hit by the debris. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said that this area, Jungle Chatti, is prone to frequent landslides. A similar incident happened last year as well.
Despite the accident, authorities confirmed that the yatra (pilgrimage) route remains open and the journey to Kedarnath is continuing.
However, an official advisory was issued asking pilgrims to be very careful while walking. Pilgrims have been advised to:
- Check the weather before starting the trek
- Avoid traveling after Gaurikund in the late afternoon
- Stay alert as rain is common in the area, especially in the afternoon
This incident comes just days after a helicopter crash near Kedarnath claimed seven lives, including that of a baby and the pilot.
