Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra stopped due to landslide near Bhawan: Two women pilgrims dead, a girl injured

Two women pilgrims died, and a girl sustained severe injuries today in a landslide that occurred on the new track leading to the Vaishno Devi shrine, located in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district. The landslide took place near Panchi, approximately three kilometers ahead of Bhawan, around 2:35 p.m. A section of an overhead iron structure was also damaged in the incident.

Deputy Commissioner of Reasi, Vishesh Paul Mahajan, confirmed the casualties and injuries based on preliminary reports. He stated, "Two women have died and a girl has been grievously injured in the incident."

Senior police and civil administration officers have promptly arrived at the site to manage the situation. Mahajan is currently en route to Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine atop Trikuta hills.


A rescue operation began immediately following the landslide, and the movement of pilgrims on the track has been halted. Further details about the incident are pending.

Previously, on New Year's Day 2022, a stampede at the shrine resulted in 12 deaths and 16 injuries.

Earlier in 2022, a dozen pilgrims died in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Fifteen other got injured in the incident.