Amarnath Yatra suspended for third day, around 15,000 yatris stuck

Jammu, July 11 (IANS) No yatri was allowed to move towards the Kasmir Valley from winter capital Jammu to perform the Amarnath Yatra for the third consecutive day on Monday, police said. "No Yatri will be allowed to move towards the Valley from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu city today," a senior police officer said. "The Yatra has been suspended due to the prevailing law and order situation in the Valley," he added. An officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the annual pilgrimage told IANS that 8,611 pilgrims had "Darshan" at the holy Cave Shrine on Sunday. "8,611 yatris had 'darshan' inside the holy Cave yesterday. These included Yatris who had already reached the north Kashmir Baltal and south Kashmir Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camps," he said. "Since the yatra started on July 2, so far 1,27,538 pilgrims have performed the yatra," the SASB official added. Around 15,000 yatris are waiting in Jammu for their turn to proceed to the Valley so that they can undertake the Yatra. Sources told IANS that a team of officials from Gujarat is reaching here on Monday to find out the welfare of stranded Yatris belonging their state. "Gujarat chief minister spoke to state chief minister yesterday. It was agreed upon that a team of Gujarat government officials would arrive in Jammu to meet the yatris," sources said. They said that since mobile internet services remained suspended in Jammu city, stranded yatris were feeling inconvenienced.