Amarnath Yatra suspended, pilgrims stopped in Jammu and base camps

JAMMU/SRINAGAR: The pilgrimage of Amarnath Yatris from the Jammu base camp to the ones in Kashmir was suspended on Saturday, following violence over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani the previous day.

“We are monitoring the situation in Kashmir in the wake of the law-and-order problems there, and will take a call on the release of the pilgrims’ convoy from Bhagwati Nagar base camp here in Jammu by Saturday evening,” said Dr Pawan Kotwal, divisional commissioner of Jammu region.

He said pilgrims were being accommodated at various community halls, inn sand temple shrines across Jammu for the time being.

Jammu deputy commissioner Simrandeep Singh said, “We are awaiting the state government’s decision. The yatra will resume only when normalcy is restored. We are keeping a keen eye on the situation.”

However, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board chief executive officer PK Tripathi said pilgrims were still being allowed to travel to the caves from the base camps at Baltal and Chandanwari. “Most of the people who are travelling to the caves from the base camps today had arrived from Jammu yesterday. But pilgrims can’t reach the (Kashmir) base camps today,” he said.

Though there were instances of the yatra being suspended in the past, they were not due to militancy-related issues.

While 2,000 pilgrims have been accommodated at the Bhagwati Na gar base camp ,10,000 others have been put up at 11 community halls and a dozen temples across Jammu. Around 5,000 pilgrims have been halted at Banihal and Ramban.

ADGP SM Sahai said no stone would be left unturned to ensure the safety of yatris.

Avinash Chandra Mishra, a pilgrim from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, testified to the security cover accorded to them. “There are security personnel on all the roads and rotaries. We felt very secure and comfortable while travelling back to Jammu,” he said.