With nine more deaths, Amarnath toll nears 100

Nine more pilgrims, including a couple from Odisha, died en route to the 3,880-metre high Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 97.

Officials said the yatra was going on smoothly and so far over 5.75 lakh pilgrims had offered prayers at the cave shrine. The yatra will conclude on August 2.