Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police has sought an additional 300 paramilitary companies for the Hindu holy pilgrimage of Amarnath and the pilgrimage has also been extended to two months, reports said.
“Last year, the maximum number of 300 paramilitary companies were given to Jammu and Kashmir for the annual pilgrimage as the yatra was taking place for first time following the scrapping of the autonomous status of J&K in 2019. However, this time, a large number of paramilitary companies have been deployed in violence-hit Manipur and there seems no possibility that they will be withdrawn within next 15-20 days,” the officials said
This year, the pilgrimage is expected to extend for a duration slightly exceeding two months, they said.
While the officials affirm that the security situation is comparatively better this year than last year, they emphasize that the arrangements will remain almost identical to the previous year to ensure the utmost security for the yatra.
They further note that the Army will play a critical role in the yatra arrangements, particularly at the cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas and the twin tracks, in addition to securing the Jammu-Srinagar and Jammu-Pathankot National Highways.
The majority of the additional paramilitary companies consist of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), with others belonging to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), deployed along the tracks, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Approximately 200 companies of paramilitary forces will be deployed by the Jammu and Kashmir administration from their internal deployment, which has been assigned for law and order and anti-militancy operations.
Furthermore, the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and JKAP will also be deployed for yatra (pilgrimage) duties.
Last year, the pilgrimage lasted for 44 days, during which 3.65 lakh pilgrims from all over India reached Kashmir to perform darshan (seeking glimpses) of the stalagmite formation which Hindus believes is the phallus of Lord Shiva.