Chamba, Sept. 5 -- Revenue, Horticulture and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi today confirmed that a 60-member rescue team comprising NDRF, SDRF and local volunteers has been deployed to evacuate the bodies of 17 devotees who died during the Shri Manimahesh Yatra in Chamba district.
Addressing a press conference at Paridhi Grih, Negi clarified that only 17 deaths have been reported during the entire pilgrimage period and rejected rumours of higher casualties or a government-imposed shutdown of mobile services.
"Communication networks belong to national and international operators, and shutting them requires approval of the union Home Ministry. The state government has not suspended any services," he said.
The minister said of...