Another 724 pilgrims leave for Amarnath Yatra base camps

A batch of 724 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims left Jammu today for the twin base camps in Kashmir, officials said.

The pilgrims left in a convoy of 19 vehicles with detailed security arrangements in place. They are scheduled to reach the camps later in the day, they added.

The 60-day "yatra" to the cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,880 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas, began on the twin routes of Baltal in Ganderbal and Pahalgam in Anantnag district on June 28.

A total of 2.58 lakh pilgrims paid their obeisance at the shrine till last evening, an official added.

In the past week, the number of pilgrims joining the "yatra" had dipped sharply.

The "yatra" is scheduled to conclude on August 26, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan festivities.

"On the 32nd day of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra yesterday, 3,131 yatris paid obeisance at the holy cave. Till date, 2,58,487 yatris had the darshan of the Shivling in the holy cave," the official added.