The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) responded quickly to the rescue of a pilgrim from Punjab during the Amarnath Yatra. The pilgrim had slipped down from a pony near Railpathri on his way to the Holy Cave. Fortunately, the pilgrim suffered only minor injuries, and the CRPF MRT quickly transported him to the Baltal base camp. Three MRTs from the CRPF's Rapid Action Force have been deployed along the route as part of their dedicated efforts to ensure the safety of pilgrims, ANI reported.
WATCH | Amarnath Yatra: Aarti Performed In Cave Shrine As Yatra Commences With Hundreds Of Devotees
Thousands Embark On Amarnath Yatra As Third Batch Of Pilgrims Begins Journey
Earlier in the day, a new batch of 4,903 pilgrims set out from the base camp to begin the annual Amarnath Yatra to the sacred cave shrine at 3,880 metres in the picturesque South Kashmir Himalayas. Since June 30, when Lt Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch, a total of 12,807 pilgrims have embarked on this revered pilgrimage.
Over 8,000 pilgrims visited the shrine to offer their prayers on the first day of the 62-day yatra. The pilgrimage began with both the traditional 48-kilometer Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the shorter but more difficult 14-kilometer Baltal route in the Ganderbal district, PTI reported citing officials.
According to the report, 2,557 devotees, including 379 women and 226 sadhus, left in 104 vehicles for Pahalgam, while another 2,346 pilgrims left in a convoy of 131 vehicles for the Baltal base camp early in the morning. Notably, over 3.5 lakh people have already registered online for the pilgrimage, demonstrating the significance and popularity of the Amarnath Yatra.
A multi-tier security setup has been activated in and around the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, and a convoy carrying pilgrims leaving Jammu for Kashmir is fully guarded by CRPF troops, with Army and police dominating the area.
IN PICS | Amarnath Yatra 2023: Pilgrims Make Their Way Towards Holy Shrine Cave On Day 1