ISLAMABAD:The preparations for annual Hindu pilgrimage, “Amarnath Yatra” are in full swing across Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the government of India has deployed 40,000 additional para-military troops for the pilgrimage.
According to reporter, thousands of additional reinforcements of paramilitaries Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) are being rushed to the Kashmir Valley.
Every day at least four companies of additional security forces have started arriving in Kashmir, which were going to be deployed along the highways, at base camps, vulnerable points and also at en-route Shri Amarnath Ji in Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal, Sonamarg in Ganderbal district.
According to some reports, six to eight lacs pilgrims are expected to attend the annual pilgrimage being held after three years in wake of Article-370 abrogation and the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic.
The pilgrimage was canceled midway in 2019, ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August that year.
This year, the Yatra is expected to start from June 30 and around six to eight lacs pilgrims are expected to attend the pilgrimage, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Apurva Chandra told media.
Meanwhile, under the garb of security measures for the Amarnath yatra, Indian government is planning to launch a major offensive against Kashmiri youth struggling against India’s hegemony in the occupied territory.
Indian Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla who is currently in Srinagar on a two-day visit to review security arrangements for Amarnath Yatra stressed upon keeping a close watch on suspects and directed the security officials to speed up the cordon and search operations ahead of pilgrimage.