The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday asked Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and tourists in Kashmir to immediately cut short their stay in the valley and return as soon as possible, citing intelligence inputs of terror threats.
“Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of the Amarnath Yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in the interest of safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath Yatris, it is advised that they may curtail their stay in the valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible,” the Jammu and Kashmir government order said.
The announcement came shortly after the Army and state police said it had reports that terrorists were planning to disrupt the Amarnath Yatra.
The Army said searches were going on after intelligence reports confirmed that Pakistan was trying to target Amarnath Yatra by planting IEDs and attacking yatris.
Reacting to the advisory, Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah in a tweet said, “Although this unprecedented order would seem to suggest a genuine fear of a massive terror strike directed at Amarnath ji yatris or/and tourists this will do nothing to dampen the sense of fear & foreboding that prevails in the valley at the moment.”
