Amarnath yatra pilgrim from Raj dies, toll at 3; 60K pray at cave shrine

A 38-year-old pilgrim from Rajasthan, who had gone missing, was found dead on Wednesday, taking the toll in this year's Amarnath pilgrimage to three, officials said.

Roshan Lal Suthar, a resident of Pansal Dhileara area of Rajasthan, was missing since Tuesday and his body was found near the lower Holy Cave, they said.

The officials said the cause of his death is not known yet.

They, however, said cardiac arrest triggered by lower oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there for duty.

Suthar's demise has taken the death toll so far in this year's annual yatra to three.

A 67-year-old yatri from Andhra Pradesh died on the Baltal axis of the yatra on Monday.

An Indo Tibetan Border Police officer posted on Amarnath yatra duty died at Sonamarg in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir before the commencement of the yatra.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, 18,354 devotees paid obeisance at the cave shrine. They included 12,483 men, 5,146 women, 266 sadhus, two sadhvis, and 457 children, the officials said.

In the first five days of the yatra, a total of 67,197 devotees have had darshan (glimpse) of the naturally-formed ice-ling.