SRINAGAR/JAMMU: The Amarnath Yatra remained suspended on twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam due to bad weather conditions on Friday as heavy rains lashed Kashmir Valley, even as six more yatris died in the past two days, taking the toll in this year’s pilgrimage to nine.
Only 2630 pilgrims could pay obeisance on Friday, before the Yatra was suspended, even as another batch comprising of 7,010 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar base camp Jammu towards the valley.
The Amarnath Yatra was suspended on Friday due to bad weather as rain lashed many parts of Kashmir, officials said.
The yatra was suspended along both the Baltal and the Pahalgam routes, they said.
“The yatra has been suspended and no pilgrim is being allowed to move towards the holy cave shrine this morning,” the officials said.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (Ramban) Mohita Sharma, the yatra has been halted in the district’s Chanderkote area.
“The yatra has been suspended due to inclement weather in the Pahalgam belt,” Sharma told.
Heavy showers, which started early on Friday, forced the temporary suspension of the pilgrimage, the officials added.
The pilgrims have been stopped at the Baltal and the Nunwan base camps.
According to officials in Jammu, while a batch of 4,600 pilgrims on its way to the Pahalgam base camp have been stopped in Chanderkote, another group of 2,410 devotees travelling to the Baltal camp has been allowed to proceed.
“The Yatra remains suspended due to bad weather and only 2,630 pilgrims performed yatra today (Friday) till 12:00 pm”, officials said.
The yatra will resume once the weather improves, the officials said.
“The officials said a total 87,398 devotees have performed Yatra till date,” they said.
Furthermore, over 300 pilgrims, who were carrying fake permits, have also been given permits after fresh registration at on-the-spot counters in Jammu. “These pilgrims were duped by the travel agencies by providing them fake registration documents for their yatra. Three persons have been arrested in this connection so far,” officials added.
Meanwhile, the 8th batch comprising of 7,010 pilgrims on Friday left Baghwati Nagar base camp Jammu towards the valley in a cavalcade of 247 vehicles.
Meanwhile, six Amarnath yatris died in the past two days, taking the toll in this year’s pilgrimage to nine, officials said on Friday.
The authorities did not specify the details, but cardiac arrest triggered by low oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the more common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there on duty.
So far, nine yatra-related deaths have taken place and 25 persons have been injured, the officials said.
They said the toll includes eight yatris and an ITBP personnel.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.
