79,484 pilgrims paid obeisance at Amarnath in 5 days

Nearly 80,000 pilgrims have paid their obeisance at the 3,880-metre high cave shrine of Amarnath in the first five days.
Over 16,876 pilgrims visited the shrine today with another batch of 1,786 pilgrims leaving the winter capital for the twin base-camps in south Kashmir.
"On the sixth day of the yatra, 16,876 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Lord Shiva and, cumulatively, since the beginning of the pilgrimage, 79,484 pilgrims have had 'darshan' at the shrine," an official spokesman said.
Escorted by the CRPF, the pilgrims consisting of 1,485 males and 301 females left in 53 vehicles for Baltal and Pahalagam base-camps of Amarnath cave shrine this morning, officialssaid.

With today's batch, a total of 17,146 pilgrims and seers haveleft Jammu for Amarnath since the yatra began here on June 28.
The annual 40-day yatra had begun amid terror threat that the militants were planning to target 100 policemen and as many pilgrims participating in the pilgrimage.

The reports by the Intelligence wing had prompted the authorities to mobilise the "highest level" of security measures including satellite tracking system for the yatra.
"The Intelligence input received from SSP Anantnag reveals thatterrorists have been directed to eliminate 100 to 150 pilgrims andabout 100 police officers and officials," a letter sentby Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) Muneer Khan to the Army, CRPF and range DIGs in the state, had said last week.

The government has mobilised a heavy security blanket of over35,000 to 40,000 troops including the police, Army, BSF and CRPF.
In addition to the existing strength of the CRPF in the state, the Centre has provided over 250 companies (25,000 personnel) ofparamilitary forces to the state government.
The BSF has deployed over 2,000 troops for the yatra while theArmy has provided 5 battalions (about 5,000 personnel) and additional54 companies (5,400 personnel) of the police.
This year, the yatra will be eight days shorter than last year's 48 days and will conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 7.
Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 km from Baltal.