Vehicle carrying Amarnath pilgrims seized in J-K for violating orders

A private vehicle carrying 14 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims to Kashmir via Mughal road in violation of a government order was on Sunday seized in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

District Development Commissioner, Poonch, Rahul Yadav has ordered that no vehicle carrying Amarnath pilgrims will be allowed via Mughal road and warned stern action against defaulters.

Mughal road is an alternate link connecting the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri with south Kashmir's Shopian district.

A Kashmir-bound tempo traveller, carrying the pilgrims, was intercepted in Surankote area and was seized for violating orders, a police official said.

He said the tempo driver, Ashok Kumar of Jammu, was arrested and a case under relevant sections of law was registered against him.

Amid tight security arrangements, the first batch of 2,234 pilgrims left Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for Kashmir along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway -- the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country -- Sunday morning.

The Yatra is scheduled to begin from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on Monday.