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Four pilgrims and an Army jawan have died of cardiac arrest en route to the Amarnath shrine in south Kashmir, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 37, officials said on Friday.
The jawan, identified as Naik Sant Lal, a resident of Haryana, collapsed during patrolling in Brarimarg area along the Baltal-cave route, the officials said. Lal was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
The officials said three women pilgrims Gori Rani, 35, and Santosh, 45, both hailing from Punjab, and Barti, 55, of Andhra Pradesh died at Baltal and Brarimarg on Thursday evening.
Another pilgrim, Ram Krishan, 62, of Haryana, also suffered a heart attack and died at Dumail on the Baltal-cave route on Thursday, the officials said.
The annual yatra, which commenced on June 25 from the twin routes of Baltal in Ganderbal district and Pahhalgam in Anantnag district, is otherwise going on smoothly.
"As many as 2,35,105 pilgrims had paid obeisance at the 3,880 metre high holy cave last night," officials said.
They said over 15,000 more pilgrims offered their prayers at the shrine by Friday afternoon, while nearly 20,000 others have reached different halting stations en route to the temple.