Friends carrying dead Tarn Taran pilgrim on bike held

TWO DETAINED IN J&K’S RAMBAN AS THEY DIDN’T INFORM AUTHORITIES ABOUT THE DEATH THAT OCCURRED DURING PILGRIMAGE TO SHRINE

BANIHAL/JAMMU:TWO persons were detained as they were carrying the body of their friend — who died in Ramban district of J&K after making a pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine — on a motorcycle to his residence in Punjab’s Tarn Taran without informing the authorities, police said on Monday.

The body of the 20-year-old Balkar Singh has been sent for autopsy while his two friends have been detained for questioning, Ramban senior superintendent of police Mohan Lal said. “The family of the deceased reached Ramban and after completing medico-legal formalities, we handed over the body to them,” he added.

A motionless person between a biker and a pillion rider at Nashri on the Jammu-srinagar national highway on Sunday evening raised the suspicion of police officials who stopped the motorcyclist for questioning, said the SSP. “The person in the middle was found dead and immediately the body was shifted to district hospital Ramban. The motorcyclist and the other person were detained for questioning,” the SSP added.

During questioning, the duo revealed that the group was from Tarn Taran village and after making the pilgrimage to the cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas through Pahalgam route, Balkar complained of uneasiness while they were leaving for Jammu, the officer said.

They said that Singh was given some medicines before proceeding for Jammu. The duo revealed that they felt Singh had died but decided to continue the journey with his body to reach home, Lal said.