Avtar Bhat
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, June 28: Police on the first day of Swami Amarnath Yatra today turned back 12,000 unregistered yatris and those with future date of registration, when they tried to proceed towards holy cave at Nunwan-Pahalgam on Chandanwari track and Manigam on Baltal route.
12,000 yatris without registration or having registration of later dates had managed to reach Nunwan-Pahalgam and Manigam by this morning to leave for darshan of Ice Lingam in holy cave of Swami Amarnath situated in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag. They were not allowed to go ahead by police and forced to beat a hasty retreat, sources said.
Many of these pilgrims had managed to reach Srinagar while some were on their way to Jammu, sources added.
According to district Police authorities of Anantnag, 8000 unregistered yatris and those with later dates registration were turned back from Pahalgam while the district authorities of the Ganderbal said that 4000 unregistered yatirs were returned from Manigam on Baltal route.
Meanwhile, about 20 yatris were injured in police lathi-charge at Nunwan –Pahalgam base camp today when 600 unregistered yatris protested against the authorities for not allowing them to proceed towards the holy cave.
About 600 unregistered yatris today protested at Nunwan Pahalgam base camp after they were not allowed to proceed towards the Holy Amarnath cave shrine, on the first day of the pilgrimage.
The women yatris were also not spared and they too were subjected to lathicharge for their bid to proceed towards the cave shrine, sources said, adding some yatris who tried to run helter-skelter got injured after being stuck by the barbed wire which was laid by the police to create barricades and for security purposes.
The yatris raised a strong objection against the lathi-charge and maltreatment by the police and CRPF at Nunwan Pahalgam. A women yatri, who was injured in the lathicharge broke down and begged for her life before the police. This act of police and administration has raised a question mark on its role in the ongoing yatra,” sources said.
Questioning the police action, the yatris said that on the one hand the Government had announced a ceiling of 75,00 pilgrims for darshan from per route per day, not exceeding the 15,000 pilgrims from two tracks while it allowed only 5,965 pilgrims from Pahalgam-Nunwan track and 4,712 from Baltal track while 804 were allowed by Chopper. This way only 11, 481 pilgrims were allowed to leave for darshan from two tracks which is about 35,00 less than the target, they added and criticized the Government action.
Some of the yatris who were not allowed to go ahead of Sonamarg yesterday after reaching Jammu this evening said that they were harassed and maltreated by administration and police.
Jagdish Kumar, a pilgrim from UP, who had the registration of next moth for darshan said that he was pushed back from Sonamarg by police late last night along with his party and when he showed the registration card it was also torn into pieces, leaving them with no alternative but to return.
Same were the views of Sunil Kumar of Moti Vihar, Bihar who was not allowed to go beyond Baltal. He said that yatris are being harassed by the police unnecessary. The yatris who had come for darshan having the registration of advanced dates have not been allowed to go beyond Sonamarg and Manigam on Baltal route.
However, a police spokesman said the majority of these pilgrims were not holding ‘Yatra permit’ while others had travel documents for other dates, official sources said.
As the unregistered and unscheduled yatris, numbering about 600 approached the ‘Access Control Gate’, they were stopped by police as directed by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) that no pilgrim without yatra permit would be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage.
They protested and raised slogans against the SASB for about an hour.
Similarly, a large number of unregistered yatris had also reached Baltal base camp, where they were stopped.
Official sources said these yatris in their own vehicles posed as tourists going to Sonamarg. However, instead of going to Sonamarg they reached Baltal.
They also protested, demanding that they should be allowed to move towards the cave shrine.
The SASB had made it clear time and again that no unregistered yatri will be allowed to proceed towards the cave shrine. Similarly those holding yatra permit will have to undertake the pilgrimage on same date and through the particular track, an official spokesman said while justifying the stopping of yatris from proceeding for darshan.
Police has once again requested the pilgrims to register themselves as per the guideline of SASB and visit on the specified date of registration schedule.
Besides, he said, the pilgrims are also requested to adhere to the specified Yatra routes only, wherein ‘P’ stands for Pahalgam route vehicles and ‘B’ stands for Baltal route.
Meanwhile, 11,481 pilgrims left for darshan of holy cave from Baltal and Nunwan tracks early this morning. While 5,965 pilgrims left via from Nunwan, 4,712 pilgrims left from Baltal and 804 via chopper, official sources said.
Amidst chants of ‘Bam Bam Bole’, the first batch of pilgrims started on the arduous 45-km trek from traditional Pahalgam route, and 13-km from Baltal simultaneously, in the wee hours today, sources said.
Sources said that 7,938 pilgrims had performed darshan in the holy cave till last reports came in today.
Heightened security measures have been put in place for the 55-day Yatra following intelligence inputs that militants might attempt to target the pilgrimage, sources said.
State police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed all along the twin routes to ensure safety and security of the pilgrims, they said.
For the first time, the access control agencies are carrying out thorough checks of the pilgrims and their documentation before allowing them to proceed.
It may be recalled that Supreme Court had issued guidelines for the Amarnath Yatra this year after a PIL was filed in July 2012 following a large number of deaths during last year’s Yatra.
Meanwhile Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), could not visit the cave shrine for the ‘pooja’ due to inclement weather, official sources said.
He interacted with the pilgrims and reviewed the arrangements at the Baltal camp.
On the occasion of the commencement of the annual Yatra, the Governor N N Vohra who is also the chairman of the SASB prayed for peace, harmony, progress and prosperity in the State.
The Governor, who has been monitoring the arrangements for the Yatra daily, has conveyed the Shrine Boards’ thanks to the State Government, Army, Central Para Military Forces, State Police and all the agencies concerned for their support and cooperation.
He reiterated the need for effective supervision and close day-to-day monitoring by the Camp Directors and all the functionaries involved in the management of the Yatra, for ensuring smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.
Forest Minister Mian Altaf Ahmad and Tourism Minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir flagged off helicopter services to the Holy Cave from Baltal and Pahalgam respectively.
Lt Gen Gurmit Singh, Chinar Corps Commander visited the holy cave and paid his obeisance on behalf of Chief of the Army Staff, the Northern Army Commander and entire Chinar Corps to seek blessings of Lord Shiva.
The Yatra, which commenced from Baltal and Pahalgam this morning, will conclude on Raksha Bandhan on August 21, 2013. The registration of the Yatris for this year’s Yatra had commenced on March 18.
Meanwhile, Navin Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer of SASB has once again appealed to the intending Yatris to embark on the pilgrimage only after obtaining, a valid Yatra Permit.
This would ensure against any avoidable inconvenience to them, he added.
The CEO reiterated that Yatris not possessing valid yatra permits will not be allowed to proceed beyond the Nunwan and Baltal Base Camps.
Referring to some incorrect registration done by Jammu and Kashmir Bank, the CEO informed that instructions have been issued to Base Camp Directors to allow such Yatris to undertake the Yatra who have been registered on a wrong colour code but are otherwise validly registered.
However, such Yatris who have come ahead of their scheduled date of embarking on the Yatra, as per their registration permit, will be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage on the date for which they have been registered.
The CEO further said that unregistered Yatris have no option but to go back to Srinagar and first obtain registration before they can be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage.
He said that the Board has also issued a detailed Advisory of “Do’s and Don’ts” for the Yatris visiting the Holy Cave.
The Yatris need to strictly adhere to these Do’s and Don’ts as they have to undertake an arduous trek through high mountain ranges under adverse weather conditions, Mr Choudhary added.
Meanwhile amid rains, second batch of 2,279 pilgrims today left for the holy cave from ‘Yatri Niwas’ at Bhagwati Nagar base camp Jammu early this morning.
A batch comprising 1,606 men, 399 women, 84 children and 190 sadhus this morning left for the Amarnath cave shrine from here in a convoy of 79 vehicles including 52 private, State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses, one truck and 26 light motor vehicles, official spokesperson here said.
He said the first bus left at around 0512 hrs and the last at 0536 hrs.
The weather will remain cloudy on holy cave route tomorrow and according to Met Department there will be isolated rain and thunder showers at cave shrine routes and this type of weather will continue up to June 30.
Meanwhile in a statement Surinder Aggarwal convener Baba Amarnath and Baba Buda Amarnath Yatri Niyas has urged the authorities make proper arrangements for yatris and expressed his concern over turning back of 12,000 pilgrims and lathi charge on the yatris at Nunwan Pahalgam.
He demanded that all boarding and lodging arrangements be made for the yatris who were not allowed to leave for darshan of holy cave by the police today.
Follow our WhatsApp channel