Amarnath Cloudburst: Identification of deceased being ascertained, says IG BSF

Says bodies being airlifted to Srinagar, all agencies pressed into service for rescue ops

Srinagar, Jul 09 : Inspector General of Border Security Force (BSF), Rajababu Singh on Saturday said that the identification of the pilgrims, who died in the cloudburst yesterday at lower Amarnath holy cave on Friday, was being ascertained.

Talking to reporters, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), he said that massive rescue operation is still going on and all the agencies have been pressed into service to airlift the bodies from the spot of incident to Srinagar.

He also said that the BSF and other forces including NDRF, SDRF, CRPF, Army, J&K Police and others launched a joint rescue operation soon after the incident took place.

He added that the bodies were taken to Neelgat helipad and task was given to BSF chopper to airlift the bodies to Srinagar.

“The identification of some bodies has been ascertained while the rest are being ascertained. Bodies will be airlifted to their native places for last rites.”

Meanwhile, officials said that BSF’s Mi-17 chopper has been pressed into the service to airlift the bodies.

Over a dozen pilgrims died while 40 others sustained injuries after a cloudburst hit at lower Amarnath holy cave shrine yesterday—(KNO)