1996 Amarnath tragedy: when over 260 pilgrims were found dead around cave shrine

From the year 1991 to 1996, the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath was held under the threat of militant groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir. But in the year 1996, when the militants reportedly assured that they would not interfere in the pilgrimage, the number of pilgrims swelled from the previous years.

That year the elections were also being held in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre had imposed governor’s rule at the onset of the militancy in the Himalayan region.

Most reports suggest that between August 21 and 25, nearly one lakh pilgrims were simultaneously moving either up or down between Jammu and the holy cave.

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During this period, there was unusually heavy snowfall along with severe blizzards along the pilgrimage route. Over 263 bodies of pilgrims were found in and about the surroundings of the cave located in the high mountains. The devotees had died of severe cold, exhaustion and exposure.

The Jammu and Kashmir government constituted a committee headed by the retired IAS officer Nitish Sengupta to conduct a probe. Sengupta had opined that the heavy casualties were due to excessive flow of the pilgrims, the state government’s attention being diverted by the election being held at the same time and their consequent inability to face the crises.