Security tightened along Jammu-Srinagar Highway as Amarnath Yatra begins
Before the flag-off, LG Sinha offered prayers at the Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu. As the pilgrims began their journey, the air was resonated with chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bam Bam Bhole.'
Reacting to the commencement of the Amarnath Yatra, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sat Sharma said, 'Thousands of devotees have come here for Baba Amarnath Darshan. Just two months ago, a different environment was created, but today we can see how the devotees are raising Baba Bhole's slogans. The people have faith that they are in safe hands.'
In the wake of the recent Pahalgam attack, tension prevailed in the region, and security concerns were raised. In light of the recent Pahalgam attack, security concerns have been heightened in the area. Several security measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of the devotees. A facial recognition system has been installed, and the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) has ramped up surveillance, deploying K-9 (dog) squads along with personnel on the vital Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a key route for thousands of pilgrims.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, VK Birdi, stated on Tuesday that comprehensive security and administrative arrangements have been put in place to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage for the Amarnath Yatra, which begins on July 3.
Speaking to ANI, IGP Kashmir Zone, VK Birdi said, 'In a few days, Amarnath Yatra will begin. J&K police and the administration have made elaborate arrangements. From a security perspective, we have also implemented multi-layered and in-depth arrangements for how the police and other security forces respond to various security scenarios. Rehearsals and mock drills will also be performed.'
On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha also visited the Baltal base camp to review necessary arrangements for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra. Sinha met with officials from all departments to review security, logistics, and coordination for this year's Amarnath Yatra.
He also said that the administration and security forces have made better arrangements this year to ensure a safe and smooth pilgrimage for devotees from across the country. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
"She Was Murdered": Father Of Odisha Woman Who Set Herself On Fire
Balasore: The father of the victim who died from self-immolation in Odisha's Balasore on Tuesday claimed that his daughter did not die by suicide but was murdered. He demanded that the state government treat the case as a murder and punish all those involved. Speaking to ANI, the victim's father said, "Everyone together forced my daughter to die. Isn't that murder? I believe it was a conspiracy because she used to raise her voice in college, and they didn't like it." Referring to her last visit to the college principal's office, the victim's father questioned the circumstances leading to her death. "They all conspired to force my daughter to commit suicide. Why did she commit suicide right after coming out of the Principal's room? Something must have happened inside. What happened inside? Why was she called in alone? Why wasn't I or my son called? I request the government to acknowledge that my daughter didn't die, she was killed, and everyone should be charged with murder," he said. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will organise a protest rally on Wednesday in response to the death of a 20-year-old student, who died after setting herself on fire following repeated complaints of sexual harassment by a college teacher that were allegedly ignored. The party has also demanded Rs 1 crore compensation for the victim's family and a judicial inquiry into the incident. BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das told ANI, "It is very unfortunate news that a girl from our constituency died due to self-immolation. The student was being harassed by her teacher. She complained to the college principal, went to the MPs, and tweeted the same to the CM and the education minister. No one listened to her. The government is responsible for this." "We have decided to close Balasore tomorrow. We will organise a protest rally. We demand that the family of the victim should get the compensation of Rs 1 crore, and a judicial inquiry should happen," he added. The 20-year-old student had allegedly faced prolonged sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD) at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore. Despite filing a formal complaint and seeking help from the college principal, her grievances reportedly went unheard, leading her to take the extreme step on campus last Saturday. She was initially admitted to the Balasore district hospital and later referred to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her burn injuries on Monday, hospital authorities said. In connection with the case, Fakir Mohan College's HoD, Samira Kumar Sahu, and Principal, Dilip Ghose, have been arrested.
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Suffered in silence for the past eight months: Omar Abdullah
The ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) upped the ante against Jammu and Kashmir Governor Manoj Sinha, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah saying he 'suffered silently for the past eight months'. 'We suffered in silence for the past eight months but did not complain. It's for what happened yesterday that you (people) came to know about our reality. But don't misconstrue our decency for weakness. We don't talk loudly, threaten or resort to gundagardi (hooliganism) but that does not mean we are weak. My strength is my people. I will always safeguard my strength,' Mr. Abdullah, who was addressing a function at the Jhelum Valley Medical College in Srinagar, said. Mr. Abdullah was referring to the L-G administration's security measures to stop the Chief Minister and the Ministers from visiting the graveyard where 22 civilians, killed during the 1931 uprising against the Dogra ruler, are buried. On July 14, there were dramatic images where Mr. Abdullah was seen climbing a wall to reach the graveyard and a police officer pushing him in a bid to stop him from paying tributes. 'They (administration) tried their best to raise barricades on July 14. No barricade will push us away from our goal. We will work towards realising the dignity and dreams of people of Kashmir. There will be no sell out with the dreams of our people. It's no favour we are ruling Jammu and Kashmir. It's because of Allah and our people we are here today,' Mr. Abdullah said. It's for the first time since Mr. Abdullah won elections in October 2024 after a prolonged Central rule that he upped the ante to this high pitch against L-G Mr. Sinha, who retains the powers to transfer employees, both State and Central services, and spearhead the security forces in the union territory. Sharp reactions The dramatic images of Mr. Abdullah being heckled and disallowed to reach the graveyard in Srinagar evoked sharp reactions from national leaders, including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav. 'At a time when there is a growing demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, the current events unfolding there are a grim reminder of how far things have deteriorated. If this can happen in Kashmir, it can happen anywhere, to any elected representative of the people. Every democratic voice must unequivocally condemn this,' Mr. Stalin said in a post on X. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) described the actions against the sitting Chief Minister as 'an insult to democracy'. 'This land saw countless sacrifices for freedom and the Constitution. Under the same Constitution, Mr. Abdullah's government was elected by the people. Any insult to Mr. Abdullah is an insult to democracy, an insult to India's democracy, and an insult to the people who gave us their mandate,' said Mr. Choudhary. Mr. Choudhary said any insult or humiliation of our leader would not be tolerated. 'We will not stay silent. What happened yesterday whether people speak up about it or not is an insult to every Indian who cast their vote,' he added. The Deputy Chief Minister said one day the L-G, like taking responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack, might even say that what happened with Omar Sahib was wrong. 'The police are under his control and acted unjustly. He (L-G) owes an apology for what happened yesterday,' he added. Referring to Mr. Sinha's recent statement accepting responsibility for the security lapse in the Pahalgam terror attack, Mr. Abdullah said, 'Someone has to be held responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack and now that the security lapses have been accepted.'
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Energy security: Global crude oil prices have remained relatively stable, says Hardeep Singh Puri; India eyes geothermal push
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri (Pic credit- ANI) Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday said that global crude oil prices have remained relatively stable despite persistent geopolitical tensions, suggesting that the world has sufficient energy resources to meet demand. 'There are many things that have an impact on crude prices. People say that if there is military conflict somewhere, it will have an impact, but there are many military conflicts, and prices are still between $65 and $70 per barrel,' Puri said on the sidelines of a national seminar on school education organised by the Council for Social Development, quoted ANI. 'My view is that there is enough energy available in the world. ' Puri's remarks come amid continued global uncertainty, with concerns over supply chains and energy inflation resurfacing in light of recent conflicts and climate events. The minister underlined India's growing engagement in global energy forums, pointing to the country's recent participation in the Opec seminar for the first time. 'It's basically a meeting of the Opec countries. Considering that we are now one of the largest consumers of crude oil in the world, it makes sense for us to be there,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Adamantina (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo Reflecting on his recent visit to Austria, Iceland, and Norway, Puri said India is actively looking to expand its clean energy footprint. During his stop in Iceland, he discussed geothermal cooperation with local companies. 'Iceland is very strong on geothermal, and we have ongoing collaborations with them. The advantage of going and talking to the private sector there is identifying future work that can be done,' Puri said. He also expressed a personal interest in integrating geothermal into India's broader energy mix and hinted at its potential inclusion in the India Energy Week platform. 'India Energy Week was launched three years ago and is now the second-largest global platform after ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi,' Puri said, the agency quoted. 'ADIPEC focuses on oil and gas, while we cover all forms of energy, including biofuels and green hydrogen. We intend to include geothermal energy as well.' Puri also cited recent milestones in domestic energy exploration. 'ONGC has drilled over 500 wells, the highest in the past 37 years,' he said, noting the financial risk involved in energy discovery. He referred to the example of Guyana, where 47 wells were drilled at $100 million each before a successful strike. 'We are digging more wells. I am only reporting to you the 18 wells on which, under our law, if somebody who is doing exploration and production finds some oil, they have to report to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons,' he said, reaffirming the regulatory safeguards in place to govern exploration activity in India. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
