Landslide Kills Two Women Pilgrims at Vaishno Devi

A landslide on the new track to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district killed two women pilgrims and grievously injured a young girl on September 2, 2024. The incident occurred around 2:35 PM near Panchi, approximately three kilometers from Bhawan, damaging a section of an overhead iron structure. Rescue and relief operations were immediately initiated by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, and the movement of pilgrims on the track was suspended. Senior police and civil administration officers rushed to the scene, and further details are awaited. The Deputy Commissioner of Reasi, Vishesh Paul Mahajan, confirmed the casualties and is heading to Katra, the base camp for pilgrims. This tragic event follows a previous incident in 2022, where a stampede at the shrine resulted in 12 deaths and 16 injuries.