Some
15,000 police and soldiers are guarding the route of the pilgrimage
this year. Hindus believe the temple cave is the abode of Lord Shiva,
where his image is said to appear annually in ice. The annual
pilgrimage is one of the most high-security events in Jammu and
Kashmir.
So
far this year, around 84,000 pilgrims from across the country have
already visited the holy cave at the altitude of 13,000 feet above sea
level. Earlier, the pilgrimage used to start from Pahalgam but due to
militancy the venue was shifted to Jammu.
The
pilgrimage, which was earlier open for two months, has now been
reduced to 10 days due to militant activities, according to a state
government official. The number of pilgrims is expected to top more
than 100,000 by the time the event ends.
Sources
in Kashmir detect a scheme in the sudden spurt in the number of
visitors from all over the country. Only a decade ago this used to be
a largely local affair in which small numbers of people participated.
Today's
deaths bring to at least 13 the number of people killed by militants
on this year's pilgrimage, which began July 19.
Terrorist
attacks on the Yatra have now become an annual feature. In the year
2000, 23 pilgrims were killed when militants opened fire at the base
camp, which was then situated at Pahalgam. Last year at least 13
people were killed in a fedayeen attack on the camp at Sheshnag.
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|
Amarnath cave from
inside |
The
Hizbul Mujahideen, being a Kashmiri group, has announced that it will
not interfere with the yatra (pilgrimage). But Pakistan-based
militants have not been so careful about local sentiments.
The
Central Home Ministry today rushed a team of senior officials to Jammu
and Kashmir for an on-the-spot assessment of the terrorist attack on
Amarnath pilgrims early this morning. Stating this, Minister of State
for Home ID Swami said, "We are determined to continue the
Amarnath yatra. The yatra will continue." He told reporters that
security arrangements would be reviewed and further tightened.
The
central government also rushed today two of its ministers to Pahalgam
in Kashmir for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Minister of
State for Defense Chaman Lal Gupta and Minister of State for Home
vidyasagar Rao left for Kashmir at the directions of Prime Minister
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, official sources said. The two ministers will
return by the evening today to apprise the Prime Minister and the
government of the situation.
Meanwhile
the 18th batch of Amarnath pilgrims left for the holy cave from Jammu
this morning. It consists of 2,082 pilgrims including 273 women, 31
children and 228 sadhus (hermits).
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|
A Muslim boy with his pony serving Hindu pilgrims on route to the
cave |
In
a related development, five militants and three army personnel were
killed in three encounters in North Kashmir early today. Security
forces foiled militant's attempt to storm into their post at Handwara
this morning. Two militants, armed with sophisticated weapons and
wearing combat uniforms, opened fire on an army post at the chowk in
the border district of Kupwara in north Kashmir around 0630 hrs IST,
the sources said adding that the militants were believed to be of a
"suicide squad."
On
the borders, Indian and Pakistani forces continued shelling. According
to Indian reports, Pakistani troops resorted to artillery shelling
from across the Line of Control (LoC) on forward defense positions in
Kargil, Drass and Gurez sectors in Jammu and Kashmir Monday night,
according to a Defense spokesman in Sringar today. Indian troops
retaliated and the artillery duel between the two sides continued till
this morning. No causality was reported on the Indian side.
According
to official Indian sources, intermittent exchange of small arms fire
along the international border took place at seventeen places in Jammu
and Kathua districts since Monday. The last few days have witnessed
daily shelling across the LoC and the international borders in Jammu
& Kashmir
.
