JAMMU: No evidence was found of any negligence on part of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board CEO and other officials in the death of more than 30 pilgrims in the Aug 26 landslide, the Bhawan police station SHO has said in an action taken report (ATR) submitted before a judicial magistrate’s court in Katra, Jammu.The Katra sub-judge had on Oct 16 ordered Reasi SSP and Bhawan SHO to file an ATR in response to a complaint seeking an FIR against the shrine board CEO and other officials who were at the helm of affairs when the disaster struck, claiming the lives of pilgrims at Adhkuwari en route to Vaishno Devi.In the previous hearing on Oct 30, the SHO had sought four weeks’ time to submit the ATR, but the court granted only three weeks and directed him to file the report on Nov 20.The ATR said in the inquiry conducted so far, no offence had been established against the authorities concerned. However, the final report of a three-member committee constituted on Aug 29 by J&K lieutenant governor and shrine board chairman Manoj Sinha was still awaited, it added.Sub-judge Sidhant Vaid took the ATR on record and fixed the next hearing for Dec 6.The complainant, Rohit Bali, a resident of Talab Tillo in Jammu, has alleged that the pilgrims died because of the criminal negligence of the shrine board CEO and other officials.
