Qazigund, Jul 3: In a heartening display of solidarity and warmth, the people of South Kashmir welcomed the first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims on Wednesday, just weeks after the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, most of them tourists, reportedly targeted through religious profiling.
The 45-day pilgrimage to the sacred Amarnath cave shrine officially begins on July 3. As the first convoy passed through the Navyug Tunnel in Qazigund, local residents lined up early in the morning to greet the pilgrims with smiles, waving hands and words of encouragement.
Speaking to ANI, locals expressed hope and happiness over the resumption of the pilgrimage. “We’re happy to see devotees returning to Kashmir after the Pahalgam attack. The youth are especially hopeful, and we’re grateful to welcome them again,” said one resident from South Kashmir.
Another local from Dudu remarked, “The devotees are coming from across the country, and we in Jammu and Kashmir are proud to host them. Kashmir is known for its hospitality.”
Meanwhile, security remains tight across the Union Territory, especially along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), to ensure the safety of all pilgrims. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch from Jammu amid stringent multi-layered security.
Authorities have also deployed medical teams, air ambulances, and put emergency evacuation protocols in place as part of extensive preparations for the pilgrimage.
With inputs from the agencies
