Small batch of devotees leave for Amarnath

Jammu: A small batch of 199 pilgrims Monday left for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas from here.

A convoy of five vehicles carrying the 39th batch of pilgrims, including 103 men and 49 women left from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu at 4:46 AM, police said.

The convoy has already crossed Patnitop on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and would reach their destinations at Baltal and Pahalgam base camps by this evening, they said.

With today`s batch, a total of 53,910 pilgrims have left Jammu base camp for Amarnath so far.

Meanwhile, another batch of 671 pilgrims left for Budha Amarnath shrine in Poonch district in a cavalcade of 16 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar Base camp in Jammu city.