2 labourers carrying Kedarnath pilgrim on palanquin killed in landslide

Pilgrims and those ferrying them in palanquins present in the area were caught in the landslide. “Upon receiving information about the incident, police personnel posted at Jungle Chatti outpost and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) carried out rescue operations and pulled out those who had fallen into the gorge after being hit by the debris,” said the police.

The deceased were identified as Nitin Kumar and Chandrashekhar, from Jammu’s Doda. Both of them were labourers. Three people were also injured; they have been identified as Sandeep Kumar and Nitin Manhas, from Doda, and Akash Chitriya, from Gujarat’s Bhavnagar.

SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi said the labourers were carrying a woman pilgrim on a palanquin, known as a dandi or kandi in local parlance, when the landslide struck. “The labourers and the pilgrim fell into a gorge. While the duo died, she sustained minor injuries. The SDRF has rescued others,” he said, adding that landslides frequently hit Jungle Chatti. “We had to rescue several pilgrims after a landslide last year.”

In 2024, a small stretch of the Gaurikund-Kedarnath trek route in the Jungle Chatti area was washed away due to rains.

Following Wednesday’s incident, the Rudraprayag police said that the entire trekking route, including the landslide-affected area near Jungle Chatti, was open and the yatra was “continuing smoothly”.

In an advisory, it said, “Pilgrims travelling on foot are advised to exercise extra caution. Travel only after checking the weather forecast and ensuring the path is safe. Avoid trekking beyond Gaurikund later in the day. Rainfall is being reported daily in the afternoon along the Kedarnath trekking route and at Kedarnath Dham.”

This comes days after a helicopter crashed near Kedarnath, killing seven, including an infant and the pilot.