Over 4,400 pilgrims on Saturday left the winter capital for the twin base camps of 3,888 metre high Amarnath cave shrine of lord Shiva in south Kashmir Himalayas, amid tight security.
The yatra was suspended from Jammu base camp after multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Friday.
Over 15,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance to the Ice lingam of lord shrine at Amarnath in South Kashmir hills.
Amid chanting of “Jai Bholay Nath” and “Bum Bum Bholay”, the pilgrims comprising 3,298 males, 986 females and 193 sages and transgenders left in a convoy of 142 vehicles for Amarnath this morning and were escorted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), a police officer said.
With Saturday’s batch, 9,238 pilgrims and sadhus have left Jammu for Amarnath since the yatra began from Jammu on June 28. Today’s was the third batch of pilgrims.
The annual yatra in Kashmir had begun amid terror threats, according to an Intelligence warning, prompting the authorities to mobilise the “highest level” of security measures, including satellite tracking system. The Intelligence reports had claimed that militants were planning to target 100 policemen and as many pilgrims participating in the yatra.