Amarnath Yatra: Authorities Bar Several Horsemen Amid Tight Security

Authorities have denied permission to several horsemen from operating during this year’s Amarnath Yatra, which is scheduled to begin on July 3, due to heightened security measures for the pilgrimage.

According to officials, the permissions were denied to them by the UT government's Labour Commissioner's office because of the adverse police reports.

For this year’s yatra, multi tier security arrangements remain in place with the Director General of Police (DGP), Nalin Prabhat, on Monday inspecting the yatra base camps, who also carried out “the security audit and reviewed deployments and arrangements, ensuring that all logistics, infrastructure, and personnel were in place to facilitate a smooth and secure pilgrimage.”

A statement issued by police said that the DGP took “stock of the current security posture and issued directions to strengthen preparedness against any potential threats, emphasising law and order management along the Pahalgam axis.”

Officials said that a list of horse operators was prepared earlier before the April 22 militant attack that resulted in the death of 26 tourists, from which several were left out in the revised list.

Confirming that permission has been denied to several horsemen, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Anantnag, Zameer Ahmad, said that this came on account of the adverse police reports. “ There are over 100 horsemen who have been denied permission. We have taken back the registration cards from them,” he said.

The authorities have restricted the number of horsemen to nearly 9,000, nearly the same number as last year’s yatra. The 38-day yatra, which will conclude on August 9, will be carried out in a security convoy. Earlier, the police said that the Amarnath pilgrims, who are looking to start their yatra from Jammu, should join the convoy and avoid travelling on their own.

“Amarnath Ji yatra pilgrims who wish to start their Yatra from Jammu are advised to join only the official convoys for a safe and secure journey. Avoid independent travel. Travel in escorted convoys,” said Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, in a social media post.

According to officials, the horses that are to be used for ferrying the pilgrims for this year’s yatra are tied with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards. “The RFID cards are being tied on the horses for a proper security set-up,” said Dr Javed Mohidin, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Anantnag.

For this year’s yatra, the deployment of central armed force personnel (CAFP) was higher in number, while the Road Opening Parties (ROPs) have also been deployed at places which earlier remained uncovered.

Mushtaq Ahmad, a local resident, said that the security deployment has also been made even in Hapatnad area, which is not directly connected with the yatra. “ A large number of security force personnel have been deployed here. We are far off from Pahalgam, and the yatra doesn’t take our route,” said Mushtaq.

Abdul Majeed Awan, a resident of Pahalgam, said, “We can’t currently operate our horses to Baisaran where the tourists were killed in the militant attack in April.”