Number of Amarnath pilgrims declines to 374

Jammu, Aug 4: A fresh batch of 374 pilgrims today left the base camp here for the Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir under tight security cover.

The pilgrims, including 19 women, 174 Sadhus and a child, left the base camp here at 0530 hrs, an official spokesperson told UNI.

The caravan of pilgrims comprised nine buses, he said.

Hundreds of people have cancelled their plans for pilgrimage following massive protests and subsequent curfew restrictions in the winter capital city of the state.

The two-month-long Amarnath pilgrimage started from here on June 17.

UNI