Jammu, June 27 : A total of 2,995 pilgrims escorted by the security forces left Jammu on Wednesday in two batches who will start their Amarnath Yatra that begins from Thursday.

According to the police, the first group of 1,091 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas at 4.45 a.m. and were proceeding to the Baltal base camp.

While the other group of 1,904 'yatris' left at 5.40 a.m. and were proceeding towards the Pahalgam base camp.

Vijay Kumar, advisor to governor and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam flagged off the convoys to the valley from the yatri niwas, an official said.

With additional 213 companies of paramilitary forces augmenting the strength of the existing security forces in the state, nearly one lakh security personnel have been deployed to guard the 2018 Yatra.

The 60-day Yatra will end on August 26, coinciding with the Shravan Purnima festival.

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Pune, Nov 16: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis continued to raise the pitch on "vote jihad" by playing a video of Islamic scholar Sajjad Nomani at a poll rally in Pune's Bhosari area on Saturday.

It is being said that a person who votes for the BJP must be ostracised, Fadnavis claimed.

"If these people are trying to do vote jihad, if they are saying they will destabilise the government through vote jihad, then you will also have to do dharmayudh of votes," Fadnavis said.

"If these people dream that they will come to power with the help of votes from one community in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, then you will also have to come to the battlefield," he said in a swipe at the MVA.