Nine pilgrims killed in Rishikesh landslide

Seventeen pilgrims — mostly women — were buried under the landslide which occurred at around 2.30 am. Senior police and civil officials have gone to the site to supervise rescue operations.

Nine bodies have been recovered and the eight injured have been admitted to government hospitals in Laxmanjhoola and Rishikesh. The bodies identified so far include Guddi (45) of Saharanpur, Sushila Gupta (60) of Ambala, Manorama Dobhal (50), Vimla Joshi (43), Sampati Bisht (45), Maya Devi (45) and Savitri Devi (40) all from Dehra Dun.

A large number of pilgrims have been visiting the Neelkanth temple of Lord Shiva to offer “Ganga jal” during the Hindu calendar month of Shravan. Most of the injured allege that the tragedy was waiting to happen since the road was not being maintained properly for the several years. Despite the hue and cry raised by pilgrims over the past few years, the three-km track from Swaragashram to the Neelkanth temple was never repaired by the district administration. This, despite the fact that the rush coincides with the monsoon.

The area, which falls in the Shivalik foothills, comprises soft elastic clay which gives in easily during rainy months. No precautions have been taken to check the recurring landslides or to provide lighting facilities on the path used by most pilgrims. More than three lakh pilgrims visited the temple shrine last week but had to go without a drop of drinking water.