Authorities have halted the departure of a new batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp to Kashmir as a precaution due to the fifth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, officials said.
So far this year, over 4.90 lakh pilgrims have visited the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine. “The yatra has been paused for today, and no new groups were permitted to travel from Jammu to Kashmir,” an officer informed PTI.
This measure is part of increased security arrangements marking the anniversary of Article 370’s abrogation on August 5, 2019. This constitutional change ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and restructured the region into two union territories: Jammu Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Amarnath Yatra, which began on June 29, is scheduled to end on August 19.