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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Amarnath yatra: Fifth batch of 3,133 pilgrims leaves for shrine
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Amarnath yatra: Fifth batch of 3,133 pilgrims leaves for shrine

The fifth batch of more than 3,000 pilgrims left Jammu on Monday amid high security for the Amarnath shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva

Sadhus line up at Amarnath yatra base camp to register for the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine in Jammu on Friday. Photo: PTIPremium
Sadhus line up at Amarnath yatra base camp to register for the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine in Jammu on Friday. Photo: PTI

Jammu: The fifth batch of more than 3,000 pilgrims left Jammu on Monday for the high altitude Amarnath cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Chants of “Jai Bholay Nath, Bum Bum Bholay" were heard as 3,313 devotees—2,310 men, 671 females and 152 sadhus and sadhvis—left Jammu in 88 vehicles. The convoy was escorted by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicles, an official spokesperson said. With Monday’s batch, 15,360 pilgrims have left Jammu for Amarnath since the pilgrimage began on 28 June, he added.

As many as 46,795 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the shrine, located at a height of 3,888 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas. Multi-tier security arrangements have been made for the 40-day pilgrimage. These include satellite tracking systems, jammers and bulletproof bunkers, dog squads, CCTV cameras and quick response teams in addition to thousands of security personnel guarding the route in view of the increased threat perception and violence in the Valley.

The annual yatra began with a terror threat, prompting authorities to mobilise the “highest level" of security measures. “Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals that terrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims and about 100 police officers and officials," according to a letter sent by inspector general of police (Kashmir Zone) Muneer Khan to the army, the CRPF and range DIGs in the state on Sunday.

“The input is assessed to be a HUMINT (human intelligence) and it needs further corroboration," the IGP said in the letter. This year’s yatra will be eight days shorter and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on 7 August.

Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46kms from Pahalgam and 14kms from Baltal.

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Published: 03 Jul 2017, 03:22 PM IST
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