Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, September
Seventeen pilgrims have been confirmed dead during the Manimahesh yatra in Himachal Pradesh’s Barmour region, the state’s Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said on Saturday, after returning to Shimla following eight days overseeing rescue and relief operations. Negi stressed that the deaths were not caused directly by the recent disaster but by oxygen shortage and extreme cold. The bodies, he said, were recovered with the help of the army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and handed over to families in Chamba.
The minister said all stranded pilgrims had been safely evacuated and road restoration was continuing “at war footing,” with all routes expected to reopen within three days. Negi accused some media outlets and social media platforms of spreading “false and misleading reports” suggesting thousands had died. “Spreading rumours without verification is a serious offence, and the government will act strictly,” he warned.
On complaints that taxi drivers exploited stranded pilgrims by charging exorbitant fares, Negi admitted some malpractice but pointed out that the government had launched a free taxi service to ease the situation.
