Tragic Incident at Badrinath Dham: Two Sisters Lose Lives During Ritual Bath
Tragic Loss at Tapt Kund
Representational Image
Jaipur, September 11: In a heartbreaking incident, two elderly sisters from Rajasthan tragically passed away while bathing in the Tapt Kund at Badrinath Dham in Uttarakhand on Friday morning. The women reportedly lost consciousness while trying to fulfill a religious vow of taking 108 dips in the holy water.
The deceased have been identified as Ramu Devi, aged 71, and her 73-year-old sister Prem Devi, both residents of Bhilwara district in Rajasthan.
They were part of a larger group of over 100 pilgrims from Rajasthan who had been in Badrinath since September 4, participating in a religious discourse (Katha) during their stay.
As per reports from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local police, four women from the group entered the women's section of the Tapt Kund around 5 a.m. to bathe and complete their vow.
The other two women, Bhagwati Devi and Sohni Devi, emerged unscathed from the incident.
Authorities stated that Ramu Devi and Prem Devi had managed to take about 50 dips when they suddenly experienced health issues.
Initially, they took their dips at a slow pace but began to rush through them after other family members left for the temple to pray.
Eventually, they became breathless and lost consciousness, collapsing into the cold water. Fellow pilgrims quickly rescued them and rushed them to a nearby hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
Mahadev Uniyal, the officer in charge of Badrinath Police Station, confirmed that the incident occurred around 5 a.m. and that police initiated the necessary procedures following the tragedy.
The relatives of the deceased opted against post-mortem examinations and requested the return of the bodies for family rites.
The family plans to conduct the last rites in Haridwar. The bodies will be released to the relatives after police formalities are completed, in accordance with the directives of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).