Pilgrims leave for Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir

Jammu: Another batch of pilgrims escorted by the security forces on Tuesday left Jammu for the Kashmir Valley in a convoy on the way to the Amarnath cave shrine.

"Another batch of pilgrims escorted by the security forces left Bhagawati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu city around 4.20 p.m. for the valley in 150 buses," a senior police official told IANS.

"On Monday, a batch of pilgrims left for the valley in 300 buses to perform the Amarnath Yatra," he said.

The Amarnath Yatra remained suspended for two days because of law and order situation in the valley, triggered by the clashes between security forces and agitating demonstrators after top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed on Friday evening.

All the pilgrims who have already reached the valley were safe and performing the yatra, the official added.

An official of Shri Amarnath ji Shrine Board (SASB) which manages the annual pilgrimage has said that so far over 1,35,000 pilgrims have already had `darashan` of the ice formation inside the cave shrine devoted to Lord Shiva.