Small batch of devotees leave for Amarnath

JAMMU: A small batch of 56 pilgrims today left for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas from here.

A convoy of four vehicles carrying the 42nd batch of pilgrims, including 49 men and 7 women left from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu at 4:20 AM, police said.

The convoy has already crossed Kud on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and would reach their destinations at Baltal and Pahalgam base camps by this evening, they said.

With today's batch, a total of 54,202 pilgrims have left Jammu base camp for Amarnath so far. Today's batch is the smallest so far.

Meanwhile, another batch of 621 pilgrims left for Budha Amarnath shrine in Poonch district in a cavalcade of 19 vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu city.