Five killed in landslide on Amarnath Yatra route

Srinagar: Five people were killed and three others suffered injures in a landslide on the Baltal route of Amarnath Yatra in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday night, police said.

"A landslide hit between Railpatri and Brarimarg on the Baltal route," a police official said.

He said five people - four men and a woman -- were killed, while three others were injured.

He said the identities of the deceased and the injured were yet to be ascertained and the bodies were being brought to the Baltal base hospital.

Police and other security forces and rescue agencies were on the job, the official said, adding medical response teams were fully alert.

Earlier, a minor flash flood hit the car parking of the Baltal base camp, but there were no casualties.

Over 400 doctors and other health officials were appointed to take care of the pilgrims during this year's yatra. Even before the landslide, seven people have died during the yatra this year due to various reasons like cardiac arrest.

Around 25 people had died of breathlessness and heart attack during the yatra in 2017.

Terror threat

Earlier media reports had warned of terror threat to the yatra with Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists planing attacks on the pilgrims. The 60-day-long yatra was flagged off on June 28 and will go on till August end.

Just ahead of the yatra, the Centre had imposed governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir aftre the BJP pulled out of an alliance with the PDP in the state.

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