Landslide in China Stalls Mansarovar Trip, 50 Indians Denied Entry

China denies entry to 50 Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims due to landslides and heavy rain in the region.

Pilgrims trekking their way to Mount Kailash. (Photo: MEA)

China has refused entry to around 50 Indian pilgrims who were scheduled to travel to Kailash Mansarovar through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim. The Indian government has taken up the issue with Beijing.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said some difficulties are being experienced in the movement of pilgrims through Nathu La.

The development comes amid tensions in bilateral ties between the two countries over a host of issues, including the CPEC and India's NSG bid.

Sources said 47 yatris and the liaison officer were stopped as roads in the Chinese side have been washed away by landslides triggered by continuous rainfall. The Indian pilgrims were informed that they would be allowed to enter China when the weather and the road conditions improve.

The yatris returned to Gangtok on Friday. The first batch of 47 yatris had arrived in Gangtok on 15 June. The Sikkim Tourism Development Corporation is the nodal authority for conducting the annual yatra through Nathu La.

Negotiating the mountainous terrain, hundreds of Indian pilgrims undertake Kailash Mansarovar yatra in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China every year.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kazakh capital Astana.

In the meeting Modi had said the two sides should tap their potential in cooperation, strengthen communication and coordination in international affairs, respect each other's core concerns, and appropriately handle their disputes.

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