Fresh batch of 2,300 pilgrims leave Jammu for Amarnath Yatra

Jammu: Amid tight security, over 2,300 yatris left the base camp here on Wednesday for pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.

Over 3.35 lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine since the commencement of the annual yatra from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district in the Kashmir Valley on July 1.

A total of 2,372 pilgrims, including 1,955 men, 357 women, 54 seers and six children, left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here in a convoy of 103 vehicles amid heavy security of the Central Reserve Police Force in the morning, the officials said.

They said 671 pilgrims heading for Baltal were the first to leave the camp in 33 vehicles, followed by the second convoy of 70 vehicles carrying 1,701 pilgrims for Pahalgam.

Over 1.30 lakh pilgrims have left from the Bhagwati Nagar camp for the valley since June 29, when the first batch of pilgrims was flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.