180 companies of CAPF deployed for Amarnath Yatra security across Jammu: IGP

Jammu, Jun 26: A total of 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which is 30 more than previous years, have been deployed for the security of annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu division this year, a senior police officer said on Thursday.

Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, Bhim Sen Tuti assured a safe pilgrimage to every ‘yatri’ but appealed them to undertake the journey in official convoys if they plan to travel from Jammu rather than travelling independently.

The 38-day-long yatra to 3,880-meter-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas is scheduled to start from the twin routes — the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in the Ganderbal district — on July 3.

The first batch of pilgrims will leave for Kashmir from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base camp a day before the start of the annual yatra.

“Police are alert to ensure the security of every (Amarnath) pilgrim. Five districts (Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Ramban) form a circuit through which the yatra passes (in Jammu region). The CAPF personnel have reached here and their total deployment is 180 companies which is 30 more than the last year,” the IGP said.

Talking to reporters after flagging off an anti-drug awareness tableau from district police lines on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking here, he said they have increased the deployment from Lakhanpur in Kathua – the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir border Punjab to Jammu.

“We have also introduced Road Opening Patrols and also covered the area which used to have skeleton deployment in the past,” Tuti said.

The Jammu police chief said Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive region and the deployment has been made keeping the requirement in mind.

“My appeal to Amarnath pilgrims intending to plan their yatra from Jammu to join the official convoy rather than travelling independently to the valley,” the IGP said.

Two convoys traditionally leave Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for Pahalgam and Baltal under tight security arrangements on a daily basis during the yatra period.

On the efforts to curb drug menace in the region, he said Jammu and Kashmir is a border state and “our fight is not only against terrorism but also narcotic business which is used to fund terror activities.”