New Delhi, The first batch of enthusiastic pilgrims have been set off amid tight security arrangements. Security of these pilgrims is on top priority for the security forces.
There has been a CRPF meet to secure Amarnath Yatra an various security arrangements were discussed. Ahead of the Amarnath Yatra being flagged off today, Abhay Vir Chauhan IG CRPF Jammu sector held a meeting of senior CRPF officers of units deployed in Jammu region at Sector HQ Bantalab earlier today. Security of Base Camp Bhagwati Nagar and the Yatra route were discussed.
Radio frequency based ID tags have been installed on vehicles. “We’ll know whenever they’ll pass by our four reception centers on two routes. If we don’t receive signal from a vehicle we’ll inform IG Control room and naka points, ” said Commandant PP Pauly, 73 Battalion CRPF at Bemina.
Response has also come from the militant outfits. “Amarnath Yatra is not our target. Amarnath Pilgrims visiting Kashmir to perform their religious rituals, they are our guests and militants will not harm them,” Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahidin operational Chief Commander RiyazNaikoo in a new audio release.
More than 2 lakhs pilgrims have registered for the annual Amarnath Yatra which began on Wednesday. The first batch has left from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base camp on Wednesday under heavy security cover.
“As many as 2,11,994 pilgrims have secured advance registration through the designated bank branches, group registration facility and through booking of helicopter tickets for the yatra,” an official spokesperson said today after a meeting held here to review the arrangements for the pilgrimage.
The pilgrims, icluding common men and sadhus, have started arriving in Jammu from various parts of the country. The first batch of yatris have left for the twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam in Kashmir, in a fleet of vehicles under tight security in the early hours.
They will reach the base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal and Nunwan-Pahalgam in Anantnag districts in Kashmir later in the day. The pilgrims would start their onward journey to the 3,880 metre high cave shrine by foot, the next day, marking the start of the pilgrimage.
