Jammu, July 6: A 42-year-old pilgrim undertaking the annual Amarnath Yatra died after allegedly being bitten by a snake while sleeping at the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu, officials said.
The deceased was identified as Amit Kumar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh. Officials said the incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. when the pilgrim was resting on the footpath inside the Bhagwati Nagar transit camp before beginning his journey to the holy Amarnath cave shrine.
He was immediately shifted to Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu, where doctors tried to save his life. Despite treatment, his condition worsened and he later succumbed.
The body has been sent for post-mortem, and legal formalities are underway. Authorities said they have taken note of the incident and are strengthening safety measures at the base camp to prevent such accidents during the ongoing pilgrimage.
The Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas serves as the main transit camp for thousands of devotees travelling to the Amarnath cave shrine through the Pahalgam and Baltal routes during the annual pilgrimage.