One Amarnath Yatri dies; toll rises to 23

Srinagar: One more pilgrim died due to cardiac arrest enroute to the 3,880 metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 23, officials said on Sunday.

Mahesh Prasad (59), a resident of Uttar Pradesh suffered cardiac arrest at Sonamarg, 85 kms from Srinagar, on Saturday night, the officials said.

The latest death took the toll in the ongoing yatra, which started on July 2, up to 23.

The dead also included a CRPF jawan.

So far, over 2.40 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the cave shrine which houses the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.