Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), along with other security agencies, carried out an extensive mock drill at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp on Tuesday ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, officials said.
The exercise involved personnel from the National Security Guard (NSG), the SOG of J&K Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
The Bhagwati Nagar base camp serves as the main starting point for pilgrims heading to the 3,880-metre-high Himalayan shrine.
The 57-day Yatra is scheduled to begin on July 3, with extensive security arrangements being put in place by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.
The first batch of pilgrims is expected to be flagged off from the base camp a day before the official start of the Yatra.
Pilgrims will take the twin routes — the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal.
Officials said the mock drill was conducted to prepare for any emergency situation.
Advanced surveillance equipment, including drones, was deployed during the exercise, while dog squads were used for anti-sabotage and area sanitisation checks.
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