he first batch of Amarnath yatris was flagged off from base camp in Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar amid tight security this morning.
The yatra was flagged off at 4.50 am by BB Vyas and Vijay Kumar, Advisors to Governor NN Vohra. Top police officers from Jammu city were also present on the occasion. Chanting 'bum bum bhole' and 'Har Har Mahadev' slogans, the devotees of Lord Shiva left in buses, mini-buses and cars from Jammu to Pahalgam and Baltal base camps in Kashmir valley.
The flagging off ceremony of the first batch of the yatris was also attended by National Conference leaders Devendra Rana and Surjit Singh Salathia. BJP MLC Vikram Randhawa also participated in the event and welcomed the pilgrims.
Despite the terror threat, the devotees looked very excited and said that they are not afraid of terrorists. "We have full faith in our security forces. They will thwart evil designs of terrorists", said one of the yatris.
"Terrorists can't stop us from visiting Kashmir. We want to pay obeisance in the holy cave of Lord Shiva. We are not scared," said another yatri.
Meanwhile, in view of the terror threat, tight security measures have been put in place all across the state. The special motorcyle squad of CRPF jawans with mounted cameras on their helmets is escorting the vehicles of yatris. Drones are also being used for aerial surveillance.
Over 23,000 para-military personnel have been deployed for the security of the yatris. The vehicles carrying the pilgrims have been fitted with Radio Frequency identification tags so that their locations can be traced. The 'Black Cat' commandos from the NSG are on stand by in Srinagar to deal with a hostage like situation.
"We are trying our best to address the concerns of the yatris and ensure smooth conduct of the yatra", said Vijay Kumar, Advisor to Governor NN Vohra after flagging off the yatra.
"Foolproof security arrangements have been made to ensure that no untoward incident happens", said Smita Sethi, Director, Tourism, J&K.
The 60-day long yatra will conclude on August 26 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan festival.