Jammu, June 30: Amid unprecedented security arrangements, first batch of more than 1200 pilgrims left for Amarnath cave from here early this morning.
A cavalcade of 53 vehicles carrying about 1,272 pilgrims, including 566 males, 230 females, 32 children and 444 sadhus, was flagged off by the state’s tourism minister Nawang Rigzin Jora. The pilgrims will stay at Baltal and Pahalgam base camps from where they will proceed to the cave Thursday, when the Yatra will commence officially.
Heavy security arrangements have been made along the highway to ensure incident free pilgrimage. A heavy contingent of paramilitary personnel also accompanied the cavalcade.Tight security arrangements have been made all along the route from Jammu to Amarnath cave, the tourism minister said after flagging off the Yatra. He said that the state government was duty bound to ensure incident-free pilgrimage and provide all possible support to the Yatra.
Rebuffing the reports of security threats, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Farooq Khan, said that the three-tier security blanket has been put in place all along the highway and Yatra route. “We have been saying it repeatedly that we have tried our best to provide fool proof security arrangements for the pilgrims,” he said.
Around 3000 BSF men were airlifted to the state last evening to provide additional security to the pilgrims.
 Reports reaching here revealed that even after flagging off the Yatra, the cavalcade was halted at Nandni, Udhampur and Batote for several hours. Authorities claimed that the pilgrims were stopped as the district administration wanted to welcome them. However, sources revealed that the police had specific direction to ensure that the cavalcade crosses Banihal tunnel in the evening.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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