The police detained more than 50 Bajrang Dal activists from Jammu who were trying to proceed towards Baltal, the base camp of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, on Sunday.
An official spokesman said the activists were proceeding to Baltal to inspect the route to the holy cave and were detained in order to avoid any untoward incident due of inclement weather condition in the Kashmir valley. “The decision to detain the activists was taken after a detailed discussion with the Bajrang Dal at a high-level meeting convened in Jammu on Saturday,” he said.
A police spokesperson said that 53 activists were taken to the District Police Lines, Jammu, and released them in the evening on the orders of the magistrate.
However, reports said that the activists have refused to leave the District Police Lines and are demanding that they be allowed to move to Kashmir to carry out “kar seva” (volunteer work).
Various Hindu organisations, including the Bajrang Dal and VHP, want the Amarnath Yatra to start on June 4.
The State Government has decided to reduce the number of days of the yatra this year citing climatic reasons. The yatra will commence on June 25 and conclude on August 2.
“The administration is working to ensure a safe and clear route to the cave well before the commencement of the yatra. A series of meetings with the authorities concerned have been held to workout an effective mechanism to ensure a smooth and successful yatra,” the spokesperson added.
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