Over 4,600 pilgrims leave Jammu for Amarnath

A batch of more than 4,600 Amarnath pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here on Thursday morning amid tight security.

As many as 2.90 lakh devotees have paid obeisance at the Amarnath shrine since the annual pilgrimage began on July 1.

A total of 4,675 pilgrims left in a convoy of 169 vehicles for the twin base camps in Kashmir to undertake the onward journey to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva.

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Officials said 2,850 pilgrims, headed for Pahalgam, left in a convoy of 106 vehicles while another convoy of 63 vehicles carrying 1,825 pilgrims left for the Baltal base camp at 3:30 am and 3:45 am, respectively.

The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1.

The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.