Srinagar, Jul 17 : A top Army commander on Friday said that there are credible inputs that suggest that militants are planning to target Amarnath yatra on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
However, Brigadier VS Thakur, Commander, 2 Sector said that security forces are fully prepared to foil any attempt by militants to disrupt the annual pilgrimage, which will commence from July 21.
“We have received inputs that militants are planning to target Amarnath Yatra somewhere on the stretch of national highway. This stretch is a bit sensitive. We are all prepared to foil the militant designs and to ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage,” Brigadier Thakur told reporters during a press conference in south Kashmir district of Kulgam.
He said there are around 100 active militants in south Kashmir of which about 25 to 30 are foreigners. “Also, there are reports that few individuals are missing and since Pakistan continues to push in militants into this side, the number (of active militants) could be on the higher side,” he added.
This year’s 42-day-long Amarnath yatra was scheduled to begin on June 23 but the duration of the annual pilgrimage was cut-down to only 14 days between July 21 and August 3 following outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
