Twarit Mukhya: First batch of Amarnath Yatra flagged off; Hizbul commander calls pilgrims 'guests'

Twarit Mukhya: First batch of Amarnath Yatra flagged off; Hizbul commander calls pilgrims 'guests'


 Amid tight security and threat of a terror attack, the first batch of the Amarnath pilgrims embarked on the popular ‘Yatra’ on Tuesday morning.

The pilgrimage batch was flagged off from Jammu's base camp in Bhagwant Nagar by BVR Subramanyam, Chief Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir and BB Vyas and Vijay Kumar, advisors to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Narinder Nath Vohra.

A day before the first batch of pilgrims left for the annual Yatra, an audio of Hizbul Mujahdeen operational commander Riyaz Naikoo came to light where he can be heard speaking about Amarnath Yatra saying: “Amarnath yatris are not our target, they have come here to perform their religious rituals. They are our guests”.

This comes after an alert was issued by security forces warning about a terror attack, stating that Amarnath yatra is under terrorists’ radar.