Amarnath yatra resumes

The annual Amarnath Yatra resumed this morning after a temporary suspension due to inclement weather.

Jammu, July 9 : The annual Amarnath Yatra resumed this morning after a temporary suspension due to inclement weather.

Madan Mantoo, the Director Public Relations of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said that more than 18,500 pilgrims, who were stuck at different points on route to shrine from Pahalgam and Baltal routes on Sunday, resumed their journey to the shrine of Lord Shiva as the weather improved this morning.

Nearly, 82,000 pilgrims had paid their obeisance at the shrine till July 7, Mantoo said.

Besides tight security, several arrangements have been made for pilgrims to provide them shelter and medical treatment at all camps.

A fresh batch of 2,623 pilgrims also left here today for the cave shrine amid tight security. The pilgrims, including 502 women and 78 children, left here in a fleet of 85 vehicles, from base camp in Jammu.

Every year, lakhs of pilgrims trek along a treacherous mountain track to the Amarnath shrine, located at an altitude of 3,800 metres (12,700 feet).

Militants have targeted the annual pilgrimage in the past. In 2002, eight Hindu pilgrims were killed in an attack on the Nunwan camp in Pahalgam.

ANI