Tragedy Near Mata Vaishno Devi Trek
A sacred pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine was struck by tragedy on Tuesday afternoon when a massive landslide, triggered by days of relentless rain, crashed down on the main trekking path. The incident has claimed the lives of at least five pilgrims and left fourteen others injured.
The landslide occurred around 3 p.m. near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari, a point roughly halfway along the 12-kilometer trek from the base camp at Katra to the holy shrine atop the Trikuta hills. Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene as the mountainside gave way, sending a cascade of stones, boulders, and trees hurtling down onto the path, catching unsuspecting pilgrims completely by surprise.
Rescue Operations and Official Confirmation
Rescue operations were launched immediately, with officials fearing that several people could be trapped under the debris. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board officially confirmed the casualties in a post on the social media platform X.
“In an unfortunate incident of landslide at Adhkwari, 5 people have lost their lives and 14 others have been injured. Rescue operations underway,” the board stated in a post at 5:20 p.m. on Tuesday.
The pilgrimage, which attracts millions of devotees annually, had already been partially suspended. Due to the torrential rainfall, authorities had halted the yatra on the old Himkoti route and later suspended it on the main route at 1:30 p.m., shortly before the disaster struck. The region has been battered by three continuous days of heavy rain, which has caused widespread havoc across Jammu.
Harrowing Eyewitness Accounts
Survivors recounted the chaos and terror of the moment. Kiran, a pilgrim from Mohali, Punjab, was on her way down after having darshan (worship) when the landslide hit.
“I was coming down the hill… when people started shouting. I saw stones falling down,” she told reporters from her hospital bed in Katra. “I rushed to safety but was injured.”
Another young woman, who narrowly escaped, described the traumatic experience of her group. “We were a group of five out of which three are injured,” she said, visibly shaken by the ordeal. The injured have been evacuated and are receiving medical attention in Katra. The pilgrimage remains suspended as rescue and relief efforts continue.