Katra: Amid shock and sorrow over the death of 34 pilgrims and injuries to about 20 others on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi track, the Shrine Board has rejected allegations of negligence, calling the tragedy an “unprecedented cloudburst-triggered landslide” that could not have been anticipated.
In a detailed statement, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) expressed “deep sorrow and pain” at the loss of lives while denying reports that the yatra was allowed to proceed recklessly. “The allegations are false and baseless,” the Board asserted.
According to the SMVDSB, weather conditions on the morning of August 26 were clear and conducive for the pilgrimage, with even helicopter services operating normally. The Board said registrations were suspended as soon as moderate rains were forecast, and by noon, movement on the old track was also halted.
The disaster struck at 2:40 pm near Inderprastha Bhojanalaya when a sudden cloudburst triggered a massive landslide on a 50-meter stretch of the old track—one of the safest points on the route. “No such landslide has ever been recorded in this area in the past. It was an unpredictable and unforeseen act of nature,” the Board maintained, terming it a “force majeure.”
Rescue and relief operations were launched immediately by the Shrine Board’s Disaster Management Task Force in coordination with the Reasi district administration, J\&K Police, CRPF, Army, NDRF, SDRF, and local volunteers. Eighteen injured pilgrims were evacuated and shifted to the Shrine Board’s Superspeciality Hospital at Kakryal, while stranded yatris were brought back safely to Katra by evening through the Tarakote route.
The Board also emphasized that the Tarakote track, which is more vulnerable to landslides, had already been closed on August 24 in the interest of pilgrim safety. It highlighted years of slope stabilization, protective structures, and shelter sheds along the route, reiterating that “every reasonable precaution was taken in view of weather forecasts” but that the disaster was beyond human control.
Yet, the Board’s explanation has not quelled the storm. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Deputy Chief Minister have questioned why the yatra was allowed to continue despite weather advisories. “This has to be seen seriously, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the Shrine Board, has to reply on the same,” Omar said.
Adding to the pressure, several locals in Katra staged protests against the Shrine Board, accusing it of ignoring safety warnings and risking the lives of devotees.
