Fresh batch of 306 pilgrims leaves for Amarnath

JAMMU: A batch of 306 pilgrims today left for the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas.

The batch comprising 154 men, 43 women, 8 children and 101 sadhus left in a motorcade of seven vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp here at 4:50 AM, a police official said.

Amid tight security arrangements provided by CRPF, the convoy has already crossed Udhampur district on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, he said.

The pilgrims would reach the twin base camps at Pahalgam and Baltal by this evening, he added.

With today's batch, as many as 47,379 pilgrims have so far left from the Jammu base camp for the shrine.

Meanwhile, as many as 3,33,507 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the shrine till yesterday during this year's pilgrimage.