Jammu:
The Amarnath
yatra was flagged off from Jammu on Wednesday amid disturbance in the Valley. Close to 3000 BSF jawans were airlifted to the state to provide additional security to the pilgrims.
A cavalcade of 53 vehicles carrying the first batch of 1200 pilgrims left the Jammu base camp for the cave shrine escorted by heavy security at around 5 am. The shrine is located at 3,338 metre altitude in south Kashmir Himalayas.
For the last few days, there has been tension in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir after civilian deaths due to security forces firing. Most towns in the valley have been put under curfew.
But pilgrims say the worrying security situation will not stop them from going ahead on the
yatra.
"I am satisfied with the arrangement done by military and the organisers. Every year the arrangement is very good," said one of the pilgrims.
Another pilgrim added that he felt authorities were helping them. "No there is nothing to fear. The situation there is always like this. And the number of pilgrims is growing every year," he said.
The DIG of Jammu, Farooq Khan, said that different security agencies are working together to ensure that there is no disturbance in the yatra. (With PTI inputs)