Undeterred by rain and recent terror threats, a fresh batch of 7,208 pilgrims set off from Jammu early Sunday morning for the annual Amarnath Yatra, pushing the total number of departing yatris from the base camp to 31,736 since the pilgrimage began on July 3.
Of the fifth batch, 1,587 women and 30 children joined the convoy, which left in two groups between 3:35 am and 4:15 am from the Bhagwati Nagar base. One convoy of 147 vehicles carried 3,199 pilgrims to Baltal, the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre route. The second, comprising 160 vehicles, took 4,009 pilgrims via the traditional 48-kilometre Pahalgam route.
Despite heavy overnight rain across much of Jammu division, the faithful set off with high spirits under a tight security grid. Authorities said the deployment follows the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists.
Security remains a core concern. Multiple layers of protection, ranging from paramilitary patrols to drone surveillance, guard the twin routes.
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“We roam freely because they stand with guns,” said Siddharth Agrawal, a first-time pilgrim. “We thought the number of devotees would be less because of the recent incident. But that is not the case. The armed forces are working hard for us. We may not have had the courage to come here had it not been for the security forces. I salute the CRPF and the J&K Police.”
Officials confirmed that more than 50,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the first four days of the yatra. The current batch is the largest since Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the pilgrimage last Wednesday.
The 38-day yatra, set to conclude on August 10, has drawn heightened interest this year. “More than 3.5 lakh people have registered online for the pilgrimage so far,” said Sinha, adding that offline counters across Jammu are facilitating additional enrolments.
The administration has ramped up arrangements for seamless travel, medical aid, shelter, and food. Despite persistent threats, the devotion of pilgrims and efforts of security forces are ensuring that faith continues to flow, undeterred.
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