The Amarnath yatra from Jammu city to Kashmir was suspendedon Friday due to bad weather conditions along the highway to the Valley,officials said.
As many as 7,021 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the caveshrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas till Thursday evening, takingthe total those having performed the darshan to 3,08,839, they said.
Over 3.30 lakh pilgrims from across the country have so farregistered themselves for the 46-day pilgrimage, which takes place on the 36-kmPahalgam track in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district and the 14-km Baltalroute in Ganderbal district.
“The Amarnath yatra has been suspended from Jammu to Kashmir due to bad weather conditions along highway today,” a police official said.
There was heavy rainfall in Jammu and along the route toKashmir on Thursday and it continued through the night, he said.
This is the third time the yatra had to be suspended fromJammu.
On July 8, the yatra was suspended as a precautionarymeasure following a strike called by separatists in the Kashmir valley to markthe third death anniversary of former Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
On July 13, it was again suspended in view of aseparatists-sponsored strike in the the Kashmir valley on Martyrs’ Day.
Four Amarnath pilgrims have died on Tuesday and Wednesday enroute to the cave, taking the death toll in this year’s pilgrimage to 30,officials said.
As many as 2.85 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the cavelast year, while the number was 3.52 lakh in 2015, 3.20 lakh in 2016 and 2.60lakh in 2017.