Enveloped With Foolproof Security The Annual Amarnath Yatra Kicked Off Today

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Amidst the terror and tension stricken atmosphere of the valley, the first batch pilgrims left the Jammu base camp marking the beginning of the annual Amarnath Yatra when Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minster Nirmal Singh, at 5.15 am today, flagged off 46 buses and 26 light motor vehicles carrying 2280 pilgrims which includes 422 women.

As an intelligence report suggests that terrorists are planning to attack the pilgrims, the authorities have left no stone unturned in the bid to ensure that the security is foolproof. Around 40,000 security personnel from police, CRPF, BSF and army have been deployed in the region to ensure the safety of the pilgrims who have turned up in large numbers to pay a visit to the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva located at a height of almost 13,000 ft.

Apart from 5000 army men, 54 companies of police will vigil the yatra along with 2000 BSF personnel. 250 companies of BSF has been mobilised to the region to enhance their existing strength in the state.

Along with CCTV, jammers, RoPs, bullet proof bunkers, dog squad and QRTs, a satellite tracking system has also been installed to vigil the yatra.

Special Director General of CRPF SN Shrivastava observed, “This Amarnath yatra will have the highest-ever security setup to ensure an incident-free yatra.”

Affirming that due to the prevailing situation in the valley, there exists a high chance of an attack on the pilgrims, the Director General of BSF previously said that security measures have been heightened to curb down the threat of any untoward incident.

“This year the threat perception is exceptionally high, there are disturbances in the Valley. The possibility of the militants disturbing the yatra is very much expected and keeping that in mind, we have made all arrangements. Our deployment is in place, the routes are guarded by Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) meanwhile, the CRPF and local police are also involved in the access control and are proving security to the shrine”, he said.

The existing threats failed to dampen the spirits of the devotees as the holy chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bam Bam Bhole” echoed the Bhagwati nagar Yatri Niwas camp in J&K’s Anantnag district when the pilgrimage, escorted with heavy security, started.

Talking about his experience and the volatile situation of the valley, one of the rapturous devotees said, “It is a great privilege for me to leave for the yatra in the first batch. This is for the seventh time I am undertaking this pilgrimage. We are least concerned about the threat perception to the yatra. I would rather like to convey that the threats from stone-pelters and terrorists encourage us and boost our morale for undertaking this pilgrimage.”

By Wednesday, the pilgrimage is supposed to reach Pahalgam and Baltam. Being the traditional route, the trek from Pahalgam to the shrine is 46 kms while from Baltal, its 14 kms.

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