Amarnath Yatra: First Batch Flagged Off Today; Intelligence Warns Terror Attack..!!

JAMMU/SRINAGAR: Amarnath Yatra has begun today. The first batch of 4000 devotees has started the 40-day-long yatra to the holy cave.

The Amarnath yatra in the mountainous region of south Kashmir will end on August 7, 2017, on Raksha Bandhan.

And according to an intelligence warning, the yearly Amarnath Yatra is facing a terror threat which has prompted the authorities to deploy the “highest level” of security measures, including ‘Satellite Tracking System.’

The yatra will commence from Jammu, about 200 km from the shrine….!!

Around 2.30 lakh pilgrims have registered for the Amarnath yatra and the first batch will be flagged off by Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Nirmal Singh for the twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam in the Ganderbal and Anantnag districts.

According to a letter sent by Inspector General of Police of Kashmir Zone, Muneer Khan to the CRPF, Army, and range DIGs in J&K:

The IGP said in the letter:

The IGP said in the letter which is being passed on to many groups on Whatsapp:

All the officials and officers have been deployed on the ground to remain alerted and maintain utmost surveillance, he added in the letter whose copy got leaked and went viral on the internet.

Muneer Khan later tried to play it down, saying there was no need to stress out as it was part of the information being shared with agencies to check its genuineness.

J&K DGP S P Vaid said someone has spread this news on social media only to create panic amongst the public.

The government has mobilized a heavy security blanket of over 35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, the Army, the BSF and the CRPF.

In addition to the prevailing strength of the CRPF, the Centre has provided over 250 companies (25,000 personnel) of paramilitary forces to the Kashmir government.

The BSF has deployed over 2,000 troops for the yatra while the Army has provided 5 battalions (about 5000 personnel) and additional 54 companies (5400 personnel) of the police have also been mobilized.

Special Director General of CRPF SN Shrivastava said:

Asked about the intelligence warning, Shrivastava said:

Describing the Amarnath yatra as “a big challenge to us”, he told reporters:

As a security measure, satellite tracking system has been installed for the safety of groups carrying the pilgrims, said Shrivastava, who visited the base camp along with CRPF IG Ashkoor Wani to review the preparations.

CCTV cameras, jammers, bullet-proof bunkers, QRTs, ROPs, dog squads, satellite tracking and other security gadgets are being used to maintain watch in view of increased danger perception due to in increased terror attacks and violence in Kashmir.