Amarnath Yatra: Pilgrim dies of cardiac arrest

Srinagar: A 27-year-old Amarnath pilgrim has died of cardiac arrest at the Baltal base camp in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley, police said on Monday.

Neeraj Chopra, a resident of Punjab, had reached the camp on Sunday to be part of the first batch of pilgrims to leave for the holy cave shrine, when he suffered a heart attack.

Chopra, who was immediately shifted to a hospital set up for pilgrims at the base camp, was declared brought dead by doctors, police added.

The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Monday morning from both the routes -- 16 kms from Baltal in Ganderbal and the traditional 45 kms Pahalgam track in Anantnag district.