Police in Jammu intensify security ahead of Amarnath Yatra

Jammu: Jammu police has set up several checkpoints across the city to bolster security arrangements and carry out daily anti-sabotage checks ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, which is scheduled to start from July 3, officials said.

The 38-day annual pilgrimage is scheduled to start from the twin routes -- the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district -- leading to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine.

The first batch of pilgrims will leave for Kashmir from the Jammu-based Bhagwati Nagar base camp a day before the start of the yatra.

"In view of the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, the Jammu Police has significantly bolstered the security arrangements by establishing joint nakas (checkpoints) at multiple strategic locations across the district," a police spokesperson said.

He said the checkpoints have been set up in coordination with paramilitary forces to ensure a seamless and secure pilgrimage experience.

The checkpoints will be operational round the clock in high-sensitivity and high-mobility zones, including on national highways, city peripheries and routes leading to the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, the spokesperson said.

Personnel from police, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other agencies have been deployed for intensive frisking, surveillance and verification operations.

Senior police officers are personally monitoring the operations at the checkpoints to ensure alertness, professionalism and public convenience, the spokesperson said.

"The naka teams have been directed to maintain a balance between rigorous checking and respectful behaviour towards pilgrims and civilians," he added.

Special attention is being given to vehicle checking, identity verification and detection of suspicious movement, supported by technical inputs and facial recognition systems (FRS) at vulnerable and crowded locations, he said.

"Instructions have also been passed to conduct random checks at hotels, guesthouses and lodgement centres," the spokesperson said.

Police have urged citizens and pilgrims to cooperate with the naka teams, keep valid identity proofs and report any suspicious activity immediately. "Public support remains crucial in maintaining peace and order during the holy yatra," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, Joginder Singh, along with the group commander of the SPG and other senior police officers, conducted a comprehensive security review along the yatra route, from the traffic checkpost at Nagrota to Saloora along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

The high-level team inspected deployment points and interacted with officers deployed along the route, the spokesperson said.

"A detailed briefing session was held to apprise the officers of the current threat scenario and the standard operating procedures to be followed while performing duties," he said.

The officers were directed to conduct daily anti-sabotage checks, particularly in areas where expressway construction is underway, which have been identified as vulnerable zones, he said, adding, "Emphasis was also laid on maintaining high alertness and ensuring coordinated efforts among all security agencies."

The SSP underlined the importance of inter-agency cooperation and a timely response to any situation, reiterating the administration's commitment to ensuring a safe and secure passage for all pilgrims.