Amid Fear Of Attacks On Amarnath Yatra, Hizbul Mujahideen Wishes Pilgrims Happy Journey, Calls Them 'Guests'

Under unprecedented security arrangements, the first batch of pilgrims travelling to the hill shrine of Amarnath have began their yatra.

The Yatra was flagged off from Jammu's base camp in Bhagwant Nagar on Tuesday morning by BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir and BB Vyas and Vijay Kumar, advisors to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Narinder Nath Vohra.

PTI

The annual yatra, this year which some 2 lakhs pilgrims from across the country are expected to undertake will be under "biggest-ever" security blanket cover to protect the yatries.

Vehicles tagged with electromagnetic chips, bike and bullet-proof SUV police convoys and scores of bullet-proof bunkers have been deployed to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.

PTI

This is due to the threat the yatra is facing from various terror groups operating in the valley.

Last year, nine Amarnath pilgrims were killed and 19 others were injured in an attack on the bus in Anantnag district. With this in mind and the additional threat of Islamic State of Jammu and Kashmir, authorities are leaving nothing to chance.

PTI

A "record number" of mobile bullet-proof bunkers and semi-permanent observation posts have been set up all along the yatra routes that are being manned largely by the CRPF followed by other central security forces and the JK police.

But, in a significant development, Hizbul Mujahideen one of the terror groups operating in the valley has said that it won't target the yatra or yatries.

In an audio message, Hizbul Mujahideen operational chief Riyaz Naikoo, said the Hizbul have no plan to attack the pilgrims. "We will never ever attack yatris as they are our guests and come here to perform their religious rituals."

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In the audio clip Naikoo rejected police claim that militants were planning to attack the Amarnath pilgrims and said "Militants have never attacked the Amarnath yatra. We are not at war with yatris. We are at war with those, who are suppressing the people of Kashmir," he said,

"We never attacked them in the past and we don't have any enmity with them. Our fight is with those who commit cruelty against our people and those who have forced us to pick up the gun," he added.

"We want to tell Amarnath yatris that you face no threat from us. You come without security. You are our guests and don't feel frightened," Naikoo who became Hizbul's operational chief in 2017 said.