Punjab teen taking fenced shortcut on Hemkund route dies after falling in gorge
Gurpreet Singh, a resident of Kale village in Amritsar district, was part of a 90-member pilgrimage group headed to the high-altitude shrine.
Govindghat police said that he strayed from the designated trail and attempted to use an old, damaged shortcut path that had been officially closed for safety reasons. After crossing a safety railing, he slipped and fell into a steep gorge.
Rescue teams from the Govindghat police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local units launched an immediate operation.
Despite the rugged terrain and steep slopes, they found Gurpreet and brought him back to the main trail. He was rushed to the nearest hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Nand Kishor Joshi, disaster management officer of Chamoli, said, "The recent death highlights the serious risks involved in deviating from designated trekking paths. Despite repeated warnings and signage posted along the route, some pilgrims still attempt to take shortcuts that are either damaged, unsafe, or officially closed.
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അപൂർവ്വയിനം റോസാ വിത്തുകൾ: വേഗത്തിലുള്ള ഡെലിവറി
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These actions not only endanger their own lives but also pose challenges for rescue teams operating in difficult terrain.
We urge all yatris to strictly adhere to safety protocols and follow the marked trails to prevent such tragedies."
Gurpreet's death brings the number of fatalities during this year's yatra to four since it began on May 25. All four occurred within the initial weeks of the pilgrimage, which attracts thousands of Sikh and Hindu devotees annually to the Himalayan shrine, located at an altitude of over 15,000 feet.
Earlier, Karamjit Singh, 32, a pilgrim from Karnal, Haryana, died after being struck by falling boulders near Atalakoti while descending from the shrine. In two other incidents, Kuldeep Singh, 74, from Delhi, and another pilgrim, aged around 50 and yet to be identified, died of suspected cardiac complications. According to state govt data, over 2 lakh pilgrims have undertaken the Hemkund Sahib yatra since the season began.
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