EXCLUSIVE | '3 terror groups detected along Amarnath Yatra route'

Home Minister Rajnath Singh had called for a high-level meeting on Tuesday, following the dastardly terror attack on Amarnath Yatris on Monday. 

It is revealed that government agencies had informed the State Government that three separate splinter groups, comprising 3 to 4 terrorists in each group, have been detected along the route of the yatra.

Yatra to continue

In the course of the meeting, it was decided that the standby forces would also be moved in to have more security personnel per yatri. Earlier, it was one security personnel for every five yatris. Now, it has been decided to make one personnel for every four yatris.

The decision to continue the yatra has been made and there will be no changes with respect to this.  

The Ministry of Home Affairs team will be looking at step-by-step movement of the yatra to monitor the 'blind spots'. Anyone who moves even slightly away from the plan will NOT be allowed to continue with the yatra, it has been decided.

Every bus to have an escort vehicle

They have also decide that every bus or vehicle listed for the yatra will have an escort vehicle. If a group is together, then should have a two security vehicles, i.e., one Pilot and one Tail to cordon off any mis-happening.

Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for airlifting the bodies of Monday’s victims.

A group of terrorists opened fire at a bus carrying pilgrims in the Anantnag district, in which seven from Gujarat, including six women, were killed and 19 were injured, thereby making it the worst attack on the annual pilgrimage since the year 2000. Police said the bus was not a part of the Yatra convoy which is being provided elaborate security.

The 40-day annual yatra to the 3,880-metre high cave shrine of Amarnath commenced from both 28.2 km traditional Pahalgam route in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and 9.5 kms Batal route in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir from June 29 and will end on 'Raksha Bandhan' on August 7.