2 Tarn Taran pilgrims detained in J&K after friend is found dead

Banihal/Jammu, July 16

Two men were detained as they were carrying the body of their friend, who died in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir after making a pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine, on a motorcycle to his Tarn Taran residence in Punjab without informing the authorities, a police official said on Monday.

The body of the 20-year-old pilgrim, Balkar Singh, had been sent for post-mortem while his two friends had been detained for questioning, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ramban, Mohan Lal, told PTI.

He said the family of the deceased was informed about the incident and they were reaching Ramban.

A motionless person in between a biker and a pillion rider at Nashri on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway last evening raised the suspicion of police officials who stopped the motorcyclist for questioning, the official said.

“The person in the middle was found dead and immediately the body was shifted to the district hospital, Ramban. The motorcyclist and the other person were detained for questioning,” the SSP said.

During questioning, the duo revealed that the group was from a Tarn Taran village and after making the pilgrimage to the cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas through Pahalgam route, Balkar Singh complained of uneasiness while they were leaving for Jammu, the officer said.

They said that Singh was given some medicines before proceeding for Jammu. The duo revealed that they felt Singh had died but decided to continue the journey with his body to reach home, Lal said.

“Prima facie, the death was caused by heart attack… investigation to ascertain the exact cause of his death is under way,” the SSP said. PTI