2,209 pilgrims leave for Amarnath cave shrine

Amid tight security, a new batch of 2,209 pilgrims today left Jammu for 3,888 metre high Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.

The batch comprising of 1,448 males, 476 females, 54 children and 271 sadhus left in a convoy of 76 vehicles around 0400 hours amid tight security for twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Kashmir for their onward journey to the Amarnath.

With today's batch, over 40,481 pilgrims have left for the Amarnath yatra from here till today.

"Over 1.57 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the naturally formed Ice Ligum of Lord Shiva," police said.

All arrangements, including security, are in place to ensure smooth yatra via twin tracks from Pahalgam-Amarnath and Baltal-Amarnath, they said.

Over 8,203 pilgrims are enroute the cave shrine via two tracks from Pahalgam and Baltal for the darshan, they said.