Amarnath Yatra has been suspended weeks before the annual pilgrimage was scheduled to conclude in Kashmir. Officials said the decision was taken due to a sharp decline in pilgrim arrivals and an adverse weather advisory.
More than 4.7 lakh yatris have visited the holy cave shrine this year amid extensive security arrangements along the pilgrimage routes. Officials said most pilgrims arrived during the first three weeks of the yatra, and the number of yatris has dropped significantly since July 23.
"Yatra has been suspended due to the arrival of very few yatris. No fresh batch of yatris arrived from Jammu today. There is also a weather advisory in place, and repair work on the tracks needs to be carried out. We can say that this year's yatra has concluded," said Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.
Since July 23, the Anantnag-Pahalgam route had been closed for the yatra, with pilgrims allowed to travel only through the Baltal route. While officials cited repair work on the track as the reason for closing the traditional route, there were security concerns as well. On July 22, terrorists struck in the heart of Anantnag town and shot a policeman dead at close range.
A week later, another targeted attack took place in neighbouring Kulgam district, where two migrant labourers were killed.
Following the Anantnag attack, a large-scale crackdown was launched across Kashmir, and more than 3,000 suspects were detained. Some estimate the number of arrests to be much higher.
Amid these developments, security remained a major concern for the yatra. Since 2013, the Amarnath Yatra has witnessed a decline in pilgrim turnout. Compared with more than six lakh yatris who visited the cave shrine in 2012, the number fell to over three lakh in 2022, rose to 4.4 lakh in 2023, and reached 4.7 lakh this year.
This year's pilgrimage was scheduled to last for nearly two months. However, the number of pilgrims began to decline sharply just 18 days after the yatra began.
While the yatra has effectively been curtailed weeks before its scheduled conclusion, officials said the holy mace (Chadi Mubarak) will be carried to the cave shrine on August 28, marking the formal culmination of the pilgrimage.
The Amarnath Yatra is widely regarded as one of the most heavily guarded pilgrimages in the country. On average, dozens of security personnel are deployed for the protection of each yatri. In addition to the extensive security network already in place across the Valley, 670 additional companies, comprising around 67,000 paramilitary personnel, were deployed this year for yatra security.
The 350-400 km route from Jammu to the base camps at Pahalgam and Baltal is guarded by thousands of personnel from the Army, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Once considered a major source of cultural and social integration, the pilgrimage is now conducted under tight security restrictions. Yatris travel in security convoys, and local vehicles are not allowed on the route while the convoys are passing.
