Tragedy strikes Machail Mata Yatra for a second day in a row after the vehicle fell into Chenab
For the second time within the last 24 hours, tragedy struck the Machail Mata Yatra when a van carrying pilgrims rolled down into River Chenab, leaving 13 people, including six women, dead in Kishtwar district of Jammu division.
The incident occurred when a Maruti Eco ferrying pilgrims from Gulabgarh plunged down 1,000 feet into the Chenab at Noos area in the Kishtwar district. While 12 people died on the spot, a five-year-old girl was rescued but died in the hospital.
"The pilgrims were coming from Gulabgarh after performing the yatra. When they reached near Noos area, the van plunged into the gorge. Thirteen people died in the incident," said Kishori Lal Sharma, additional deputy commissioner, Kishtwar.
A massive rescue and relief operation was immediately launched by the police and district administration in the area. "All bodies of the pilgrims were retrieved from the site. The rescue and relief operation has been completed. Yatra has also resumed," said Sharma.
This is the second accident in the last 24 hours in the area. On Monday, six pilgrims were killed and 15 people injured when heavy boulders, triggered by the landslides, rolled over two pilgrim vehicles near Kulligad-Drabshala in the Kishtwar district of Jammu division.
Alarmed by the growing number of road accidents, then Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra had decided to chair a meeting to review causes of recurring fatal accidents, on Saturday. However, he was later in the day relieved of his duties as governor as part of a procedural reshuffle.
This year Machail Mata yatra started on July 25 and will continue till September 5. "So far, 1.46 lakh pilgrims have visited the shrine so far. This year we expect to number of yatris will cross two lakh in 40 days. Last year 1.75 lakh yatris had visited the shrine in 30 days," said Sharma.
Sudden Fall Into River
- A Maruti Eco ferrying pilgrims from Gulabgarh plunged down 1,000 feet into the Chenab at Noos.
- While 12 people died on the spot, a five-year-old girl was rescued but died in the hospital.
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