Rudraprayag: A woman pilgrim was killed and another traveller injured after a boulder fell from a hillside near Chirbasa on the Kedarnath trekking route on Tuesday. The incident occurred while pilgrims were walking towards Kedarnath Dham for darshan.
The District Disaster Response Force (DDRF) team reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. The injured pilgrim was rescued and taken to Gaurikund Hospital for treatment. The body of the deceased woman is being brought to the District Hospital in Rudraprayag for post-mortem.
According to District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar, the deceased was identified as 25-year-old Anjali, wife of Sachin, a resident of Shalimar Bagh in Delhi. The injured pilgrim was identified as 34-year-old Shidappa, a resident of Nugaral village in Karnataka.
The incident took place around four kilometres from Gaurikund near Chirbasa. Pilgrims were travelling along the route when rocks suddenly began falling from the hillside. One of the boulders struck Anjali, causing fatal injuries. Another pilgrim was also injured in the incident.
Following the accident, authorities increased vigilance along the trekking route and appealed to pilgrims to remain cautious in view of the weather and the condition of the mountain route. Pilgrims have also been advised to follow instructions issued by security and disaster management personnel.
More Than 400 Pilgrims Stopped at Sonprayag
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall led authorities to temporarily suspend the Kedarnath pilgrimage for around two hours on Tuesday as a precautionary measure.
More than 400 pilgrims were stopped at Sonprayag between 10 am and noon and moved to safe locations while officials monitored the weather conditions.
The pilgrimage resumed after weather conditions improved, with movement towards Kedarnath being allowed again after around 12:30 pm.
Authorities said the temporary suspension was necessary to reduce the risk to pilgrims travelling along the mountain route during heavy rain. Security and disaster response teams continued monitoring the situation even after the route was reopened.
District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said the decision to stop pilgrims at Sonprayag was taken as a precaution due to heavy rainfall in the Kedarnath Dham area and along the trekking route.
The administration has appealed to pilgrims to avoid taking unnecessary risks during adverse weather and to follow official instructions. Pilgrims have also been asked to cooperate with security and disaster management teams deployed along the route.
