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| Govt sounds alert for Amarnath Yatra | | 10,000 more pilgrims leave for shrine | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, July 10: Even as Holy Amarnath Yatra is going on smoothly from both the routes in Kashmir Valley, the government has sounded a high alert to security agencies protecting pilgrims during the two-month-long pilgrimage following intelligence inputs that militants based in Pakistan are planning to target them.
Though government has made foolproof security arrangements for pilgrims on both the routes -traditional one from Pahalgam and Baltal from Sonamarg, the high guard has become imperative in the wake of the fact that a huge number of para military forces have focused their attention towards maintaining peace in parts of valley in the wake of clashes nad fresh unrest that has erupted over the last two weeks.
Highly placed officials said that intelligence agencies have intercepted several conversations between militants operating in Kashmir Valley and across the border which suggested that they were planning attacks on the pilgrims taking part in the Yatra.
"As the attention of the security forces is concentrated on the prevailing unrest in the Valley, the militants may try to take advantage of the situation. Therefore, we have asked everyone to be on high alert," an official said.It may be mentioned that pilgrims have been provided heavy security cover even during their journey from base camp in Jammu up to the base camps in respective routes in Kashmir valley. Besides, the security personnel have been deployed along the entire route to the cave shrine of Lord Shiva at a height of 3,888 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas
The Central government has provided around 8,500 paramilitary force personnel - 2,200 more than last year - to ensure foolproof security during the Yatra. "We have provided enough securitymen for peaceful completion of the pilgrimage," the official said.
Around 2.90 lakh pilgrims have been registered so far across the country for the Yatra, which will conclude on August 25.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 pilgrims today left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for holy Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas, where so far one lakh yatris had darshan of the self-made ice-Shiv lingam since the commencement of the two-month-long pilgrimage from July 1.
Pilgrims rush continues with unabated enthusiasm and religious fervour from both the routes, though the trekking through arduous and difficult terrains have taken toll of some yatris, mostly due to cardiac arrests. Nine pilgrims had died, mostly due to cardic arrest till yesterday at different places on the yatra route.
According to officials monitoring yatra control room established at Baltal ,3975 pilgrims, including women, children and sadhus, left the base camp for the holy cave shrine.
Similarly, 6,130 pilgrims started their journey from the traditional Pahalgam route this morning. However, most of them will stay for a night at Chandanwari, the last motorable station, before continuing their journey towards the cave shrine tomorrow morning.
Official sources said about one lakh pilgrims from different parts of the country, had darshan of the Shiv lingam till last evening. Majority of them have also returned to their homes, they said.
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