The Amarnath Yatra 2025 was temporarily halted following a shooting stone and landslides caused by heavy rain on the Baltal route in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The halt is the first such from Jammu this year after the start of the pilgrimage on July 3.
On Thursday, a female pilgrim perished after being hit by a stone on the Baltal route. Three people were injured in a landslide the day before on the same route.
Dramatic Video Shows Pilgrims Struggling in Mudslide
A dramatic clip of a mudslide on the Baltal track has gone viral. It is a river of muddy water rushing down the track, leaving behind a huge number of pilgrims. In one harrowing moment caught on camera, two devotees are swept away before they are rescued almost immediately by other pilgrims.
Several others were spotted holding on to railings along the steep path in a bid to escape being swept away. The images place emphasis on the risky terrain and weather brought about by the harsh weather conditions.
NDRF, SDRF Deployed; BRO Starts Restoration
After the accident, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were dispatched to the site for rescue and evacuation. Meanwhile, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has begun restoration of the Yatra track.
Top officials have said that the Yatra shall continue to remain suspended till the restoration work is finished and it is safe for pilgrims.
Yatra Attracts More Than Two Lakh Devotees So Far
The holy pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath temple is made through two routes: the 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the 14-km Baltal route, the latter being shorter but more dangerous.
Thus far, more than two lakh pilgrims have offered their respects at the sacred cave. The yatra will end on August 9.
Thousands of soldiers from the Army, paramilitary units, and police have been deployed for the Yatra. Security is still strict, given the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam when 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-aligned terrorists.
