Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, July 8: On Day-10 of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, 10,763 pilgrims paid their obeisance at the holy cave shrine in South Kashmir even as the pilgrimage remained suspended from Jammu today owing to security reasons and possible trouble in Valley on first death anniversary of Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani.
Though there was no official word, sources said that a fresh batch of pilgrims is likely to be flagged off tomorrow from Jammu Base Camp and intimation in this regard was made to the concerned authorities late this evening.
With today’s figure, total number of the pilgrims who have so far performed darshan of the holy Ice Lingam at the Amarnath shrine since June 29 this year, increased to 1,26,604, said an official spokesman.
Reports said that 4233 pilgrims left for holy cave from Base Camp of Baltal, Sonamarg via 14 km long track while 5224 pilgrims left for the cave shrine via 45 km long traditional Chandanwari -Sheshnag route from Nunwan Pahalgam base camp, this morning.
Meanwhile, no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to proceed for onward journey to the Amarnath shrine from Jammu today as precautionary measure in view of the strike called by the separatists in Kashmir Valley on death anniversary of Burhan Wani, who was eliminated on July 8, last year.
Vehicles with pilgrims were not allowed to move on the Jammu-Srinagar highway both ways as no pilgrim was permitted to leave from Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps to Jammu also.
However, a senior police official said that apart from security issue, there were directions that fresh batch of pilgrims would leave from Jammu only after rush was cleared from Baltal to avoid chaos.
“Further, the huge trucks carrying train coaches have to move on the highway with a speed limit 5-10 km per hour and it could not have been possible amid routine traffic movement, so vehicles were not allowed today both ways on the highway,” he added.
In view of suspension of the Yatra from Jammu, around 6,000 pilgrims are stranded here and lodged at different community halls as well as the Asaram Bapu Aashram in Bhagwati Nagar besides Shri Amarnath Yatri Niwas.
According to Additional DC Jammu, Arun Manhas, who is also Nodal Officer for the Amarnath Yatra, 1899 more pilgrims were registered today at three different Registration Centres in Jammu.
At Mahajan Hall registration Centre, 459 pilgrims got themselves registered for onward Yatra via Pahalgam route and 168 for Baltal route.
At Saraswati Dham, 397 were registered for Pahalgam route and 88 for Baltal route while at Vaishnvi Dham Registration Centre, 567 pilgrims were registered for Yatra via Pahalgam route and 220 via Baltal route.
“Elaborate arrangements have been made for lodging of the pilgrims at different places and, if required, Peer-Kho temple, Rajput Sabha, Jambu Lochan community hall and Laxmi Narayan temple can also be made available for accommodating them,” he said.
Meanwhile, three Amarnath pilgrims died of cardiac arrest during the past 24 hours near the cave shrine thus taking the toll to 14 since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage on June 29.
Reports said that 55-year-old Solichana, wife of Shashi Dhar Sheru, resident of Gotak in Karnataka, suffered a massive cardiac arrest near holy cave. She was immediately taken to a medical camp, where she was declared brought dead.
A 22-year-old pilgrim, Suhaill Kumagar Biag, son of Munna Lal Biag, a resident of Anmerpur in Madhya Pradesh (MP) was found unconscious near the holy cave. He was shifted to base hospital, where he was declared as brought dead.
A 62-year-old pilgrim, Rawal Jayandra, suffered a massive cardiac arrest at Railpathri on Amarnath route. She was immediately taken to base camp hospital, where doctors declared her as brought dead.
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