News Nation Logo

News Nation releases first pictures of Amarnath shrine

Amidst Chants Of 'Bam Bam Bole', The First Batch Of Pilgrims Started On The Arduous 45-km Trek From Traditional Pahalgam Route, And 13-km From Baltal Simultaneously, In The Wee Hours Today, Official Sources Said.

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Devika Chhibber | Updated on: 28 Jun 2013, 05:38:43 PM

New Delhi:

The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Friday amid tight security, with pilgrims from both Balta land Pahalgam base camps starting their journey for the 3880-metre-high cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.

Amidst chants of 'Bam Bam Bole', the first batch of pilgrims started on the arduous 45-km trek from traditional Pahalgam route, and 13-km from Baltal simultaneously, in the wee hours today, official sources said.

Heightened security measures have been put in place for the 55-day Yatra following intelligence inputs that militants might attempt to target the pilgrimage, sources said.

State police and the Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) have been deployed all along the twin routes to ensure safety and security of the pilgrims, they said.

For the first time, the access control agencies are carrying out thorough checks of the pilgrims and their documentation before allowing them to proceed.

More than 4,000 pilgrims proceeding towards Baltal base camp were turned back from Manigam in Kangan area of Ganderbal district. "We have turned back over 4,000 pilgrims who were either without registration permits or had permits for a later date," DIG Police central Kashmir Syed Ahfadul Mujtaba said.

Mujtaba said there will be no laxity on this account and the Supreme Court order in this regard will be implemented in letter and spirit.

Supreme Court had issued guidelines for the AmarnathYatra this year after a PIL was Filed in July 2012 following alarge number of deaths during last year's Yatra. 

For all the Latest Exclusive News, Exclusive News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.

First Published : 28 Jun 2013, 09:36:00 AM

Videos