Union Home Minister Amit Shah on July 10 appreciated the honesty of an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and a Head Constable (HC) of Jammu & Kashmir Police as they traced a woman pilgrim and returned her lost bag containing Rs 80,000 and some documents.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to Twitter to applaud the acts of the two Jammu & Kashmir Police personnel, terming their act “true heroism”. “True heroism lies in our acts of honour and honesty that leave an indelible mark on the lives we touch. ASI Darshan Kumar and HC Satpal of the Jammu & Kashmir Police proved this saying correct. They found a bag that contained Rs 80,000, a mobile phone, and Yatra documents. They traced out its owner, a pilgrim, and handed it over to her. I appreciate them for being an example of integrity,” Amit Shah tweeted.
The tweet also carried the pictures of the two police personnel handing over the bag to the pilgrim who arrived at the Union Territory to offer her prayer at the sacred Amarnath cave pilgrimage situated at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
Notably, the annual Amarnath Yatra began on July 1. The 62-day pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave, which is an abode of Lord Shiva, will culminate on August 31.
The annual Amarnath Yatra remained suspended temporarily on both routes — Baltal (Ganderbal district) and Nunwan (Pahalgam district) — due to inclement weather conditions that triggered multiple landslides along the 270km-long Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district three days ago.
The annual Amarnath Yatra resumed on July 9 afternoon on the Pahalgam route following an improvement in weather conditions, officials said, adding that the Yatra on the other route, Baltal, is yet to resume.
On July 9, however, authorities stopped a batch of devotees at the Jammu Base camp due to the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Following the suspension of the Yatra, 6,000 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims were stranded at Ramban, officials said.
On July 1, the annual Amarnath Yatra began with the first batch of pilgrims starting their journey from Baltal base camp in Jammu Kashmir’s Ganderbal to Amarnath Cave.
The 62-day Yatra, which commences on July 1 and culminates on August 31, is an important pilgrimage for Hindus who visit the Amarnath Cave, believed to be the abode of Bhagwan Shiva. It will start from the ancient paths of Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal in the Ganderbal district of Kashmir, where pilgrims will set off on their solemn trek.
The pilgrims will undertake a 12-km journey from the base camp to the holy Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, located at an altitude of about 13,000 feet.
The first batch of pilgrims reached Baltal base camp in Jammu & Kashmir’s Ganderbal on June 30 for Amarnath Yatra 2023. They were received by the district administration at Kali Mata Temple at Tikri in Udhampur district in Jammu & Kashmir.
It is to be noted that on July 9, Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha held a meeting with senior administrative, police and Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board officials to review arrangements for the annual pilgrimage and restoration of the National Highway stretch that was affected by incessant rainfall.
“In the meeting, secretary, Public Works (R-B), informed the Lt Governor that the restoration work of the damaged stretch at Panthyal Ramban is being carried out on a war footing,” an official statement read. During the meeting, L-G Sinha instructed officials that necessary men and materials should be stationed at key locations for timely actions and maintenance of roads.
Further, at the meeting, discussions were also held on the utilisation of the Mughal Road and other alternative roads for traffic movement.
“Jammu & Kashmir Administration is coordinating with Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways and NHAI for early restoration of the damaged stretch. Amarnath pilgrims and the public should be informed about weather conditions and the status of the Yatra on a real-time basis,” L-G Sinha said.
