Jammu, Jun 26: A total of 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which is 30 more than in previous years, have been deployed for the security of the annual Amarnath Yatra in the Jammu division this year, a senior police officer said on Thursday.
Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, Bhim Sen Tuti assured a safe pilgrimage to every ‘yatri’ but appealed to them to undertake the journey in official convoys if they plan to travel from Jammu rather than travelling independently.
The first batch of pilgrims will leave for Kashmir from Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar base camp a day before the start of the annual yatra.
“Police are alert to ensure the security of every (Amarnath) pilgrim. Five districts (Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, and Ramban) form a circuit through which the yatra passes (in the Jammu region). The CAPF personnel have reached here and their total deployment is 180 companies, which is 30 more than last year,” the IGP said.
Talking to reporters after flagging off an anti-drug awareness tableau from district police lines on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking here, he said they have increased the deployment from Lakhanpur in Kathua – the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir border, Punjab, to Jammu.
“We have also introduced Road Opening Patrols and covered the area that used to have a skeleton deployment in the past,” Tuti said.