22nd batch of over 3,800 Amarnath pilgrims leave Jammu for cave shrine

Jammu: Amid tight security, the 22nd batch of 3,898 pilgrims left the base camp for the Amarnath Yatra here on Monday for the twin base camps of the cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

More than 3.25 lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine located at a height of 3,888 metres since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal districts on July 1.

A total of 3,898 pilgrims -- 2,898 males, 898 females, 90 seers and 12 children -- left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here in the morning in a convoy of 149 vehicles amid heavy security of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the officials said.

They said 1,292 pilgrims heading for Baltal were the first to leave the Bhagwati Nagar camp in 50 vehicles, followed by a second convoy of 99 vehicles carrying 2,606 pilgrims for Pahalgam.

More than 1.2 lakh pilgrims have so far left the Bhagwati Nagar camp for the Amarnath Yatra since June 29, the day the first batch of pilgrims was flagged off by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.