Anantnag, Jul 12: A labourer assisting Amarnath pilgrims was killed after being hit by a shooting stone near Chandanwari on the Pahalgam route to the Amarnath cave shrine on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Shabir Ahmad Shah, 24, a resident of Cheerward in Mattan, Anantnag. He was assisting pilgrims at Chandanwari when a boulder, dislodged from a hillside, struck him, leaving him critically injured.
He was immediately evacuated to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries despite the efforts of doctors.
Officials said the body was shifted to Pahalgam Hospital for medico-legal formalities before being handed over to his family.
Police have taken cognizance of the incident and initiated proceedings.
Chandanwari, the last motorable point on the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route to the Amarnath cave shrine, is considered vulnerable to shooting stones and landslides, particularly during wet weather. Authorities have been maintaining round-the-clock surveillance and undertaking safety measures along the Yatra route in view of the annual pilgrimage.
