In Tearful Video, Man's Anti-Development Appeal After Vaishno Devi Landslide

At least 34 people have been confirmed dead and more than 20 others injured after a massive landslide triggered by torrential rain struck the pilgrimage route on Trikuta mountain near Jammu and Kashmir's Katra on Tuesday afternoon.

The landslide occurred around 3 pm near an eatery located halfway along the 12-kilometre trek from Katra to the shrine. Heavy rain in the Reasi district had already swelled streams and destabilised the mountainside. Within moments, boulders and debris rolled down the slope, sweeping away devotees making their way uphill.

Several victims were swept away by the sudden gush of water caused by a cloudburst. By Tuesday evening, 34 deaths had been confirmed. More than 20 others were being treated for injuries at hospitals in Jammu and Katra.

A video from Katra shows local resident, visibly distraught, accusing the authorities of destroying the ecological balance of Trikuta mountain in the name of progress.

"You dug up the roots of Mata Rani's mountains," he says. "Spare this mountain. Plant trees here. People have been devastated. We cannot tolerate this anymore. How much development do you want? Go and develop somewhere else. Don't do it here," the man said. 

"When Trikuta mountain will not be there, then Katra will also not be there. Mata Rani will also not be there. The mountain will not be there. Neither will the Yatra. You have devastated the mountain. Spare Trikuta mountain. This mountain has only water. I have lived here since childhood. Katra is my birthplace. You are driving JCBs here," he added. 

From Banganga, the starting point of the trek, to Bhairavnath temple at the summit, devotees say heaps of garbage are visible on the mountainside. Large parts of Trikuta, which naturally carries water through small streams, once sustained thick greenery. Locals argue that the cutting of trees, combined with increasing commercial activity, has destabilised the terrain.

"The environment was once clean, maintained by the forest. Commercialism is destroying everything. If this continues, a bigger disaster will happen," a resident warned.

Devotees present in the area said they had been asked to wait until the path is cleared of debris. A red alert was issued following the incident, and rescue and clearance operations are currently underway.