Seshnag (Kashmir), July 12: Thousands of pilgrims have reached the holy Amarnath cave in the final stage of the Amarnath Yatra amid tight security. `Darshan` of the holy `Shivlinga` begins from today. Meanwhile, the third batch of the pilgrims also started the 32 km trek after resting for the night at the base camp in Nunwar, near Pahalgam.
A significant feature of the Yatra is the unprecedented security. "This is only the third day of the Yatra. There is an entire month to go and going by the past experiences of terrorist attacks, we cannot afford to be complacent," said a security official testerday. The pilgrimage lasts for a month. This year, about 107,000 persons have registered for the annual pilgrimage to the cave situated in the Himalayas at a height of 12729ft. The 13 years of militancy have made the pilgrimage a security hazard. The sheer numbers of pilgrims makes it difficult for security forces to ensure protection of every single pilgrim.
Thousands of army, paramilitary and state police troops have taken positions along the route. Dog squads and bomb detection and disposal squads have also been pressed into service. Bureau Report