Jammu: Ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, police have been asked to identify locations to set up more checkpoints in the border districts of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua for the security of pilgrims.
The 32-day pilgrimage will commence on July 3 from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal — on July 3. A day earlier, the first batch of pilgrims will leave Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base camp and Ram Mandir for the valley.
The first batch of pilgrims will leave for Kashmir from Bhagwati Nagar a day before the start of the yatra.
“All the officers were directed to strengthen all the nakas (checking points), especially during night hours. They were also directed to identify places where more nakas can be established for the security of the yatris,” a police spokesperson said.
This was conveyed to the police officers by Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Jammu-Samba-Kathua range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, during a security audit of various police and paramilitary deployments in and around the base camp, lodgements, yatra route, CCTV installations, and parking areas.
Sharma conducted a security review of Ram Mandir Purani Mandi, Geeta Bhawan Parade, the base camp at Bhagwati Nagar, various routes, and the highway, the spokesperson said.
He also interacted with officers and security personnel of the CISF deployed at Ram Mandir Purani Mandi, in Jammu and directed them to remain extra alert at their posts, the spokesperson said.
All Station House Officers (SHOs) were also directed to remain alert and intensify security measures and patrolling during night hours.
Meanwhile, the CRPF on Wednesday carried out an anti-sabotage and sanitisation operation in and around the Bhagwati Nagar Amarnath Yatra base camp here to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims, officials said.
The shrine houses the naturally formed ice Shivlingam. Over 5.10 lakh pilgrims paid their obeisance at the 3,880-metre shrine last year.
Assisted by sniffer dogs, metal detectors and surveillance equipment, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) units conducted an extensive sanitisation exercise in the parking area and on the roads leading to the base camp, the officials said.
The sanitisation was also carried out on the banks of River Tawi adjacent to the base camp and in various other buildings, they said.
The security wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police has taken charge of the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, while the CRPF is managing the security around the base camp.
The Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu serves as the primary base camp for pilgrims from across the country before they proceed to the 3,880-metre holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the majestic Himalayas of south Kashmir.
CRPF Director General (DG) Gyanendra Pratap Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat visited the Bhagwati Nagar base camp and chaired high-level security review meetings ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra.
