Small batch of nearly 1,100 pilgrims leave for Amarnath

Jammu: Amid delay of several hours, a fresh batch of over 1,000 pilgrims on Sunday left the Jammu base camp for their onward journey to the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir.

Amid tight security arrangements, a convoy of 49 vehicles, carrying a batch of 1,099 devotees, left the base camp this afternoon to pay obeisance at the holy cave shrine in the Kashmir Valley, official sources said. It may be recalled that the yatra was resumed last evening after one-day suspension as a precautionary measure in wake of firing in Ramban belt on July 18. In the incident, four people were killed and 42 others injured. The yatra was suspended on July 19 and no fresh batch was allowed this morning, the sources said. So far, 44,507 pilgrims in 24 batches have left for Amarnath from Jammu till yesterday. Over 2.55 lakh pilgrims have participated in this year`s yatra to perform the `darshan` of the naturally-formed ice lingam of Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave. PTI