2 palanquin-bearers from J-K die, 3 others injured in landslide on Kedarnath trek route

A landslide on the trek route to the Kedarnath shrine left two palanquin carriers from Jammu and Kashmir dead and three others, including a pilgrim from Gujarat, injured on Wednesday, the police said.

The dead were identified as Nitin Kumar and Chandrashekhar — both of whom were palanquin carriers from Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir, they said. The injured were identified as Sandeep Kumar and Nitin Manhas, both palanquin carriers from Doda in Jammu and Kashmir and one pilgrim named Akash Chitriya from Bhavnagar in Gujarat, the police said.

The landslide occurred at 11.20 am near Junglechatti Ghat along the route, with boulders rolling down the hillside and hitting pilgrims, palanquins and porter operators, Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police (SP) Akshay Prahlad Konde said.

They fell into a gorge after being hit by the rubble of the landslide. Police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel rushed to the spot and launched a search and rescue operation, the SP said.

Police and SDRF personnel as well as locals had a tough time pulling out the dead as well as the injured out of the gorge with the help of ropes. Two persons died on the spot while three others were injured. Two seriously injured men were referred to a health centre in Gaurikund, the SP said.

The movement of pilgrims along the route continues under police protection, Konde said.