Srinagar, July 8 -- Srinagar- The annual Amarnath Yatra has witnessed a 28 per cent surge in pilgrim turnout this year, with over 1.42 lakh devotees performing darshan at the holy cave shrine in the first six days of the pilgrimage.

Official figures show that 1,42,861 pilgrims had performed darshan till 7 pm on Wednesday, compared to 1,11,975 during the corresponding period last year. The number marks an increase of 30,886 pilgrims.

On Wednesday alone, 29,047 devotees paid obeisance at the cave shrine, including 18,362 men, 9,737 women, 404 children, 181 sadhus, 13 sadhvis, 11 transgender devotees and 339 security personnel.

Meanwhile, the pilgrimage recorded its largest-ever single-day departure from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in ...