Hindu Pilgrimage Kills Over 140 Ponies

143 ponies, mules and donkeys died from injuries with razor wire lining two trails to a sacred stalagmite 13,500 feet in the Himalayan Mountains. Over 5800 pack animals received injuries, reports The Hindustan Times and The Horse.com (the online home of The Horse magazine.) In 2010, 60 ponies died, also as a result of injuries with razor wire. At least 59 people have also died, notes The Jargon Post, many from complications due to the lack of oxygen at such a high altitude.

Six veterinary stations, three each along each route, could not handle the flood of injured animals into their camps. The Hindustan Times reports that vets noticed multiple lacerations on many animals, indicating that some owners may have continued to work their ponies, donkeys and mules even when they were injured.

About Amarnath

Pilgrims spend 42 days journeying and venerating a cave with a stalagmite symbolizing the Lord God Shiva. In 2011, the pilgrimage began on June 29. Ponies carrying pilgrims and their goods must be registered with the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board in order to work for their owners.

Two routes are taken to reach this holy shrine, the Sonamarg-Amarnath route and the Pahalgham-Amarnath route. The town of Phalagham is about four days from the shrine, while the town of Sonamarg is nearly half that distance. These two different paths up the mountain are lined with razor wire "for security reasons." Paths can be as wide as four ponies across but can narrow in places.

Why the Injuries?

Sources are unclear as to just why the ponies got cut from the wire. It could be that some ponies were forced to walk pressed against the wire. It could be due to old wounds being reopened. It could also be a combination of factors, including profit-driven pack animal owners.

The head of base camp security at Pahalgam, South Kashmir DIG Shafkat Watali, noted the lack of cooperation from the pack animals' owners. Talking to The Jargon Post, he said, "The animal husbandry department has never raised the issue with the police formally or informally. We need to identify where the ponies have got injured and if the ponies were supposed to use that track or not. There are wires laid for security reasons but no one has complained to us about injuries."

Despite the lack of complaints, Watali noted that an investigation of the use of razor wire and just where the ponies were injured is under way.

References

The Horse.com: "More than 140 ponies die during Hindu pilgrimage." Erica Larson, July 30, 2011. http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18610&src=LN

The Hindustan Times.com. "143 ponies die on way to Amaranth." Peerzada Ashiq. July 28, 2011. http://www.hindustantimes.com/143-ponies-die-on-way-to-Amarnath/Article1-726380.aspx

Jargan Post. "Weather plays havoc for Amaranth pilgrims." 16 July 2011. http://post.jagran.com/weather-plays-havoc-for-amaranth-pilgrims-1310816347