Kinnaur Kailash Yatra called off due to heavy rains; Five people lost lives this year

CHANDIGARH: In view of persistent rainfall, the district administration has called off the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra with immediate effect. A pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh was killed after being hit by a shooting stone on the Yatra route. With this, the death toll of pilgrims on the Yatra has risen to five. This year recorded the highest number of pilgrims 7,316. Sources said that 31-year-old Gaurav, a resident of Aditya World City in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, died after sustaining injuries from a shooting stone between Maling Khata and Ganesh Gufa. The local police received the information on August 19, following which a team rushed to the spot but found him dead. His body was shifted to the Regional Hospital, Reckongpeo. A post-mortem was conducted today, after which the body was handed over to his relatives. The upper portion of the deceaseds body was severely damaged. Superintendent of Police, Kinnaur, Abhishek Shekhar, appealed to the public not to undertake the Yatra as the district is facing heavy rains and erratic weather conditions. The district administration has cancelled the Yatra. An official order issued yesterday by Deputy Commissioner of Kinnaur, Dr. Amit Kumar Sharma, stated that heavy rains, shooting stones, and dense fog in the region have already led to tragic incidents and loss of lives. To prevent further risks, the Yatra has been cancelled with immediate effect under Section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, until further orders. Any pilgrim attempting the journey will be escorted back to the base camp, and action will be taken against violators under the Act. He said that with more rain and cloudy weather predicted in the next five to seven days, precautionary steps were necessary to ensure the safety of people. The Yatra, which began on July 15, was scheduled to continue until August 30. The trek starts from Tangling village in Kinnaur and ends at the Kinnaur Kailash peak, at an altitude of 6,050 metres. According to data with the district administration, this year saw the highest number of pilgrims 7,316 in 24 days. Last year, 7,200 pilgrims undertook the Yatra in 22 days; in 2023, 3,600 pilgrims in 15 days; and in 2022, 3,000 pilgrims in 15 days.