Facing outcry, L-G announces probe into Vaishno Devi Shrine landslip that left 34 dead on August 26

Facing growing criticism over 34 reported deaths of pilgrims in a landslip, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, also chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), on Friday (August 29, 2025) constituted a three-member committee to enquire into the landslide incident on the yatra tracks on August 26.

The three-member committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, Department of Jal Shakti, J&K, will look into “reasons behind the tragic incident near Adhkuwari on track” in Reasi’s Katra.

The Committee was directed to examine in detail the causes and point out any lapses, assess responses in the form of rescue and relief measures undertaken and suggest appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs) and measures for preventing recurrence of such incidents in the future, a government spokesman said.

The Committee will submit its report within two weeks to the L-G, the spokesman said. At least 34 pilgrims were reported dead and over 13 injured during an ongoing yatra in spite of a weather advisory.

Earlier, the Board said the location where this unfortunate disaster happened was near Indraprastha Bhojanalaya on the old track and was one of the safest locations on the track. 

“However, nature’s fury struck in the form of sudden severe cloudburst in this stretch of around 50 meters only, which triggered the massive landslide at 2:40 p.m. (on August 26). It was unpredictable and unforeseen from any count. No such event of landslide has ever been recorded in this area in the past. The event was a force majeure,” a spokesman of the Board said.

The Board claimed the weather conditions were “clear and conducive for pilgrimage on August 26 morning until around 10:00 AM, during which time the yatra proceeded normally, so much so that even the helicopter services were operating seamlessly during that time”. 

The Board said it monitored weather updates closely and as soon as the forecast for moderate rains was received, registrations were immediately suspended. “Majority of the yatris were moving down the track after completing darshan at the Holy Cave Shrine. However, many pilgrims stayed on in the shelter sheds en-route at designated halt points on the old track. These are those points/ stretches which have never been susceptible to landslides in the past. These halt points have been specifically created in the safest zones of the track, for pilgrim safety,” the Board said.

The Board’s clarification came days after J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioned the move to allow pilgrimage in the face of strong weather advisories for the day.  

Demanding a judicial enquiry, ruling National Conference (NC) additional general secretary Ajay Kumar Sadhotra said, “It was an avoidable tragic death of over 30 pilgrims. The catastrophe could have been avoided with timely precautionary measures. The tragedy is not merely an act of nature but a grim reminder of the administration’s and the Board’s failure to act with foresight.”

Mr. Sadhotra said the yatra should have been suspended immediately in view of heavy rains and inclement weather warnings. “Unfortunately, despite the glaring risks, the flow of pilgrims was not halted. This lapse has cost over 30 lives, leaving families devastated forever,” he said.

He demanded that responsibility must be fixed and accountability enforced at every level. “The guilty must be punished in a time-bound manner to restore people’s faith in pilgrimage management,” Mr. Sadhotra said.

He warned against attempts to “trivialize or hush up the tragedy under the garb of routine inquiries”. “The Vaishno Devi pilgrimage is among the holiest shrines of India, drawing lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad. The management owes it to the devotees, the bereaved families, and the nation to ensure full accountability and transparency, he said, and called for structural reforms in pilgrimage safety management,” the NC leader said.

Several civil society bodies, including Jammu High Court Bar Association, demanded a probe into the incident.  

In 2022, Katra witnessed a stampede that left 12 devotees dead and 15 others injured. The L-G had ordered an inquiry into the incident.