Amarnath Yatra: Pilgrims leave twin base camps for shrine, second batch starts journey from Jammu
Srinagar/Jammu (PTI): The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Saturday as the first batch of pilgrims left the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan to start their journey to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.
The yatra started early morning from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-kilometre shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal.
The officials said the pilgrims on the twin routes were flagged off by the respective deputy commissioners along with senior police and civil administration officials.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha had flagged off the first batch of 4,603 pilgrims from the Yatri Niwas base camp in Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu on Friday.
The pilgrims reached the Kashmir Valley in the afternoon and received a rousing welcome from the administration and locals.
They will pay obeisance at the cave shrine, which houses the naturally ice-lingam formation.
Stringent security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the yatra.
Thousands of security personnel from the police, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and other paramilitary forces have been deployed to ensure security. Aerial surveillance will also be carried out.
The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.
Meanwhile, the second batch of 1,881 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp amid tight security on Saturday, officials said.
The second batch, which included 427 women and 294 seers, left in 200 vehicles in two separate convoys escorted by security forces, the officials said.
While the first convoy carrying 1,069 devotees to Baltal left at 4 am, the second with 812 pilgrims started its journey to Pahalgam 30 minutes later.
More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid their obeisance at the cave shrine last year.
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Karnataka: College student dies by suicide in Dharwad, 3 policemen suspended
Dharwad (Karnataka) (PTI): A college student allegedly died by suicide here, following which three policemen were suspended over allegations of harassment linked to his death by the victim's family.
Aditya Myageri, a BSc student at a private college here, was among 18 students detained by the Vidyagiri police on April 25 during an anti-drug drive, police said on Wednesday.
He hailed from Belur village in Bagalkot district, but was staying with his friends at a rented accommodation in Girinagar area of Dharwad city, police said.
Among the 18 students tested, Aditya was among the 10 who had tested negative for ganja consumption and was subsequently released.
Some of his roommates, however, tested positive.
According to police, Aditya's family alleged that despite testing negative, he was harassed by police. They also claimed some policemen demanded Rs 2,000 to settle the matter and threatened legal action if he failed to pay.
He had called his mother asking for money, but she could not arrange it immediately, the family claimed.
On Monday night, Aditya allegedly died by suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented accommodation, with his family alleging police harassment and pressure over demand for money drove him to the extreme step, a senior police officer said.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told PTI that an unnatural death case has been registered at Vidyagiri police station. Three policemen have been suspended over the allegations, and further investigation is underway.
