This Year’s Amarnath Deployment Will Be Doubled: Northern Army Commander

The number of security forces deployed for this year’s Amarnath Yatra will be double that of last year, according to Northern Army commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, who called for coordinated efforts to guarantee a trouble-free pilgrimage.

After a two-year hiatus, the 43-day annual Yatra to Pahalgam’s holy cave temple will be held this year, from June 30 to August 11, with strict respect to Covid-19 guidelines. Because of the pandemic, the Yatra was undertaken symbolically in 2020 and 2021, with just the mahants flying the sacred mace to the Amarnath shrine in a chopper; in 2019, the pilgrimage was cancelled midway before the nullification of Articles 370 and 35A in August of that year.

Lt Gen Dwivedi told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Udhampur that troops are stationed in the locations where the Yatra takes place throughout the year.

“We’ve established standard operating procedures, and Corps commanders in Kashmir have already met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.” I also met with LG Sinha to discuss the preparations,” he added, adding that the goal is to ensure that no terrorist action occurs anywhere along the Yatra route.

“At least 200 terrorists are ready to breach the Line of Control to sneak into India,” he added, adding that the Army must play a role in medical emergencies and other swift responses during the trip. So far this year, at least 21 foreign terrorists have been slain, although the total number of such terrorists operating in J&K remains unknown. In the hinterland, about 40-50 local terrorists are active. Across the LoC, there are six big (terrorist) camps and 29 lesser camps in operation.