Jammu, July 2 -- Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday flagged off the first batch of pilgrims undertaking the Shri Amarnath Yatra from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu, as the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrine began under tight security.
A total of 4,822 devotees set out in a convoy of 259 light and heavy vehicles bound for the twin base camps at Baltal and Pahalgam.
Of the pilgrims, 2,510 are travelling via the traditional Pahalgam route, while 2,312 have opted for the shorter Baltal route. The batch includes 3,707 men, 816 women, 16 children, 246 sadhus and 37 sadhvis.
The convoy comprised 106 buses, 39 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), 111 light motor vehicles (LMVs) and three two-wheelers.
The...