The convoy carrying 3,600 pilgrims had early this morning left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here to undertake the annual Amarnath Yatra and offer prayers at the holy cave shrine.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said the rising turnout for this year's Amarnath Yatra reflects growing faith in the pilgrimage and offers fresh impetus to Jammu and Kashmir tourism sector, while reviewing pilgrim facilities in Srinagar.
The deceased, identified as Manoj Batra, had travelled to Jammu and Kashmir for the Yatra.
Amid rain and cold weather, the annual Amarnath Yatra commenced early morning on Friday, with the first batches of pilgrims leaving the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan for the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. The mountainous cave shrine houses a naturally formed ice lingam.
The 57-day Amarnath Yatra 2026 has commenced with the first batches of pilgrims setting out from Baltal and Pahalgam under elaborate security, digital surveillance and extensive logistical arrangements.
Some pilgrims and ponywalas received "minor" injuries in the incident that occurred last week.
The Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar clarified that there was no incident of stone pelting on Amarnath pilgrims and the video clip of stone pelting that had gone viral is "misleading" and "baseless", with the intension to "malign the image of" Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The DGP inspected the security methods and mechanisms adopted for the security of yatris at the camp.
The injured persons have been identified as Anmol Kumar, Pintu Kumar Thakur and Hiralal Yadav, all residents of district Supaul, Bihar. They have been shifted to hospital for treatment.
As the Amarnath Yatra resumed from the Pahalgam route after remaining suspended for three days due to heavy rains, Lieutenant…
