Emergency Airlift Rescues Sikh Pilgrims at Hemkund Sahib

Fifteen Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan were airlifted from Hemkund Sahib due to illness caused by high altitude and fatigue. They were part of a larger group on a pilgrimage to the shrine located in Uttarakhand. The sick pilgrims are now receiving treatment in Govindghat after being flown down by helicopter.

In a dramatic rescue operation, fifteen Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan were airlifted from Hemkund Sahib after they fell ill due to high altitude and fatigue, according to police reports.

The pilgrims were part of a cohort of over 100 devotees from Pakistan visiting the mountainous Himalayan shrine, which is situated at an elevation of approximately 16,000 feet in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district.

Amandeep Singh, the police outpost in-charge, coordinated the helicopter rescue effort, and the sick individuals are currently receiving medical care at a hospital in Govindghat. Hemkund Sahib is a revered site where Guru Gobind Singh is believed to have undertaken penance, drawing over a hundred thousand devotees each year. The shrine is slated to close its doors on October 10.

(With inputs from agencies.)