Another batch of pilgrims leaves for Amarnath Yatra

The annual Amarnath Yatra continued as another batch of 265 pilgrims left Jammu on Monday evening for Kashmir.

"Another batch of 265 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu on Monday escorted by security forces," a senior police official told IANS.

The pilgrims use the Jammu-Srinagar national highway to reach the two Yatra base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam. Traffic on this highway moves only during the night.

However, protesters have been blocking the Jammu-Srinagar highway during the day since violence erupted after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

The number of pilgrims arriving in the Valley each day has, however, been steadily decreasing since its start on July 2.

So far, over 2,20,000 pilgrims have completed the pilgrimage.

Twenty-one pilgrims have died due to natural causes during this year's Yatra .

The Yatra will end on August 17 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.

--IANS

sq/ksk