Kedarnath Yatra Suspended in Sonprayag; Pilgrims Protest, Police Resort to Lathicharge
Sonprayag, Uttarakhand: The holy Kedarnath Dham Yatra witnessed high drama in Sonprayag on Wednesday as a large number of pilgrims clashed with police after the pilgrimage was halted for three days. The suspension, officials said, was due to dangerous conditions along the route, with landslides and debris blocking multiple sections of the path leading to the shrine.
The Kedarnath Yatra, one of India’s most significant Hindu pilgrimages, draws lakhs of devotees every year to the sacred temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This season, heavy rainfall and unstable terrain in the Garhwal Himalayas have forced authorities to temporarily stop the movement of pilgrims for safety reasons.
However, many pilgrims who had already reached Sonprayag, the key starting point for the trek to Kedarnath, refused to accept the suspension. They argued that they had travelled long distances—many from outside Uttarakhand—and were unwilling to turn back without having darshan at the shrine.
Eyewitnesses reported that the situation turned tense when a group of devotees broke through security barriers in an attempt to proceed toward Gaurikund, the next major stop en route to Kedarnath. Police and security personnel tried to contain the crowd, but as the number of protestors swelled, law enforcement resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.
Videos from the scene show a dense crowd of chanting devotees, some carrying offerings for the temple, while police use batons to push them back. The sudden clash caused panic among some pilgrims, while others continued to raise slogans demanding the resumption of the yatra.
District officials emphasised that the decision to halt the pilgrimage was based solely on safety considerations. “The weather in the higher reaches has been unpredictable, and multiple sections of the trekking route are blocked due to landslides. Continuing the yatra under these conditions would endanger lives,” a senior official said.
Local authorities have assured that clearing operations are underway and that the pilgrimage will be reopened as soon as the route is deemed safe. Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to provide temporary shelter, food, and medical facilities for stranded devotees.
The incident has once again highlighted the challenges of managing large-scale religious pilgrimages in ecologically fragile Himalayan regions, where sudden weather changes and landslides can disrupt travel. Authorities have urged pilgrims to follow safety advisories and avoid travelling to the region until official clearance is given.
