Over 1 lakh pilgrims visit Amarnath shrine in 5 days

Jammu, June 30 (IANS) Over 110,000 pilgrims from across the country have paid their obeisance at the Amarnath shrine in south Kashmir, since the pilgrimage began June 25, while 13 pilgrims have died en route, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) spokesman disclosed Saturday.

The spokesman also said that Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, who is Chairman of the SASB had expressed "sadness over the unfortunate deaths of 13 persons in the past 5 days".

In a statement read out by the spokesman, Vohra also urged the pilgrims to take adequate precautions while embarking on the pilgrimage. He cautioned the pilgrims to follow the health advisories issued by the Shrine Board, in their own interest. He also advised the pilgrims to immediately contact the nearest medical camps, in case they felt uneasy, to obtain timely medical attention.

The yatra will conclude August 2.

Last year, more than 600,000 pilgrims had visited the shrine.