Amarnath Yatra resumes from today: Devotees will be able to visit Baba Barfani from Panchtarni route, CRPF personnel will help in moving forward

Amarnath Yatra has resumed from Monday. The yatra was partially suspended after a cloudburst incident near the Amarnath cave last Friday. After the ban, the first batch of pilgrims has left for Amarnath from Jammu base camp at 5 am. According to the Jammu administration, this time devotees are being taken to Amarnath via Panchtarni route. Through this route, devotees will be able to see Baba Barfani in the holy cave.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel will help the pilgrims to move forward safely during the Yatra. CRPF DG Kuldeep Singh said that right now we are taking all precautionary measures to see whether all the missing people are found or not. No traveler is allowed beyond the base camps at Pahalgam and Baltal.

Despite the accident, enthusiasm among the passengers
Despite the influx near the holy cave on Friday, there is no dearth of enthusiasm among the pilgrims going for the Amarnath Yatra. During the yatra, a devotee told- We have come with a vow from our home that we will not go home without seeing Bholenath. We had come here to see Baba, but this accident happened. The government has started the journey from today, we are very happy.

Earlier on the night of the accident itself, a batch of pilgrims from Jammu base camp had left for Baltal and Pahalgam base camps in Kashmir. 279 vehicles of pilgrims from Jammu were dispatched in the convoy. However, the local people called it a mis-management of the administration.

After the objection of the local people, the administration had said that the number of pilgrims had increased at the Bhagwatipur base camp in Jammu, so despite the suspension of the yatra, the pilgrims were left for Baltal and Pahalgam.

Rescue operation still on
So far 16 people have died due to cloudburst in Amarnath. The army resumed the rescue operation on Saturday morning. 35 injured have been airlifted. 45 people are still missing and the mountain rescue team is looking for them. The army’s rescue operation went on all night. No body was recovered during this period.

Cloud burst within a radius of one or two km of the holy cave
There was a cloudburst near Amarnath cave at 5.30 pm on Friday evening. At the time when the cloud burst, 10 to 15 thousand devotees were present near the cave. Three women are also among those who died in this incident. ITBP said that 15 thousand people have been safely taken to Panchtarni near the holy cave.

Due to the cloudburst, about 25 tents and two to three langars set up for the devotees were washed away by the strong current from the mountains. Due to the rain, the entire area was rapidly flooded and many people got affected by it. Several pilgrims are missing and they are feared to be swept away by the strong current.

Amarnath Shrine Board, J&K Police and NDRF released helpline numbers