In a tragic incident during the annual Amarnath Yatra, Jagdish Swami (52, Majalgaon) died of a cardiac arrest while trekking towards the Amarnath shrine. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon near Sheshnag, approximately 15 km from Pahalgam. Swami had embarked on the pilgrimage with his relatives, including brother-in-laws Shambhuling Swami and Hanumant Swami on Friday. While trekking through the steep mountain terrain, he reportedly felt dizzy and sat down to rest. Around 4 pm, he suddenly collapsed due to a heart attack. Army personnel stationed nearby rushed to his aid, carrying him on a stretcher for part of the way before transferring him to an ambulance. He was taken to the Government Hospital in Pahalgam, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. A post-mortem was conducted.
His mortal remains were moved to Pune on Tuesday night via Srinagar airport and later transported by road to Majalgaon. The final rites were performed on Wednesday morning in a grim atmosphere in Majalgaon. Swami is survived by his wife and a son. According to family members, he had long harboured a desire to visit the holy Amarnath cave and this year’s yatra had finally alinged with his wish. However, father had another plans.
The sorrow deepened further when Swami's close friend and business partner of over three decades, Parshwanath Ambure, also succumbed to a heart attack just 12 hours later around 4 am at Majalgaon on Tuesday. The two shared a deep bond of friendship and jointly ran a business in Majalgaon. This is the third death which has been reported after a 39-year-old pilgrim hailing from Uttar Pradesh died of cardiac arrest at Sheshnag, Pahalgam one of the traditional route designated for Amarnath Yatra. Despite the swift intervention by on-site medical personnel, he could not be revived.